Endoscopic holmium:YAG laser ablation of early gastrointestinal intramucosal cancer

Various endoscopic techniques are being increasingly used in early gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. The holmium: yttrium–aluminum–garnet (Ho:YAG) laser has precise tissue cutting ability and good hemostatic properties and has been widely applicated to soft tissue, but the use of endoscopic Ho:YAG laser ablation for early gastrointestinal cancer has not been reported. Twenty patients with biopsy-proven early GI cancer who had a high surgical risk or refused surgery were treated by endoscopic Ho:YAG laser ablation. The tumors of all patients were confined to the mucosal layer without ulceration and without lymph node metastasis. The tumor diameter was not more than 2.5 cm. Endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound, and computed tomography scan were performed 1–3 months after the treatment, and a biopsy was performed to evaluate the effects of the therapy. Long-term endoscopic follow-up was maintained. Complete eradication was achieved in all the 20 patients, including four patients with high-grade dysplasia associated with focal canceration, seven patients with well-differentiated squamous cell cancer, and nine patients with well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, resulting in a complete response rate of 100 % at 1–3 months after treatment. No recurrence was found during 36–73 months of follow-up in all 20 patients. No operative or delayed complications were observed in any of the 20 patients. Preliminary study shows that endoscopic Ho:YAG laser ablation may be an effective, safe, and minimally invasive method for selected patients with early GI intramucosal cancer. Further research is required to confirm the safety and efficacy of this technique compared to its alternative techniques in a multicenter randomized controlled trial.