Efficacy of endoscopic mucosal resection using a dual-channel endoscope compared with endoscopic submucosal dissection in the treatment of rectal neuroendocrine tumors

Background Conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for removing rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has a high risk of incomplete removal because of submucosal tumor involvement. EMR using a dual-channel endoscope (EMR-D) may be a safe and effective method for resection of polyps in the gastrointestinal tract. The efficacy of EMR-D in the treatment of rectal NET has not been evaluated thoroughly. Methods From January 2005 to September 2011, a total of 70 consecutive patients who received EMR-D or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) to treat a rectal NET≤16 mm in diameter were included to compare EMR-D with ESD for the treatment of rectal NETs. Results The EMR-D group contained 44 patients and the ESD group contained 26 patients. The endoscopic complete resection rate did not differ significantly between the EMR-D and ESD groups (100 % for each). The histological complete resection rate also did not differ significantly between groups (86.3 vs. 88.4 %). The procedure time was shorter for the EMR-D group than for the ESD group (9.75 ± 7.11 vs. 22.38 ± 7.56 min, P≤0.001). Minor bleeding occurred in 1 EMR-D patient and in 3 ESD patients (2.3 vs. 7.6 %). There was no perforation after EMR-D or ESD. Conclusions Compared with ESD, EMR-D is technically simple, minimally invasive, and safe for treating small rectal NETs contained within the submucosa. EMR-D can be considered an effective and safe resection method for rectal NETs≤16 mm in diameter without metastasis.