Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastrointest Surg. May 27, 2026; 18(5): 118341
Published online May 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v18.i5.118341
Published online May 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v18.i5.118341
Endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer: A review of comparative perspectives on treatment outcomes vs gastrectomy
Yu-Lian Zhang, Liang Zong, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi People’s Hospital, Changzhi 046000, Shanxi Province, China
Liang Zong, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Jincheng General Hospital, Jincheng 048000, Shanxi Province, China
Hai-Bo Hu, Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi People’s Hospital, Changzhi 046000, Shanxi Province, China
Co-corresponding authors: Liang Zong and Hai-Bo Hu.
Author contributions: Zhang YL was responsible for conceptualization (lead) and writing, editing and review; Zong L and Hu HB were responsible for supervision and project administration as co-corresponding authors; all of the authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published.
Supported by the Scientific Activities of Selected Returned Overseas Professionals in Shanxi Province, No. 20220056; and “Four Batches” Innovation Plan for Promoting Medicine through Science and Technology, No. 2020TD27.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflict of interest in publishing the manuscript.
Corresponding author: Liang Zong, MD, PhD, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi People’s Hospital, No. 502 Changxing Middle Road, Changzhi 046000, Shanxi Province, China. 250537471@qq.com
Received: December 30, 2025
Revised: January 15, 2026
Accepted: February 6, 2026
Published online: May 27, 2026
Processing time: 149 Days and 3.8 Hours
Revised: January 15, 2026
Accepted: February 6, 2026
Published online: May 27, 2026
Processing time: 149 Days and 3.8 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Drawing on a retrospective cohort study of 206 cases, as well as relevant guidelines and controlled trials, this article provides a systematic review of the application of endoscopic submucosal dissection in the treatment of early-stage gastric cancer. It highlights the procedure’s minimally invasive and safe advantages, as well as its status as a standard treatment in multiple countries. Furthermore, the article summarises recent developments, ongoing debates, comparative efficacy data and indications, whilst proposing future research directions, identifying application bottlenecks and offering recommendations for wider adoption.