ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASONOGRAPHY FOR PREOPERATIVE STAGING OF GASTRIC-CARCINOMA

Background/Aims: To assess the accuracy and limitation of endoscopic u ltrasonography in preoperative staging of gastric cancer, we performed a prospective study on 99 patients. Material and Methods: Ninety-nine patients with gastric cancer had preoperative staging with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and CT. Results: The depth of infiltration (T parame ter) was correctly defined by EUS in 58/65 patients (89%). The lymph n ode involvement (N parameter) was correctly classified in 44/65 patien ts (68%), the sensitivity was 74% and the specificity was 54%. The mos t frequent cause of understaging T parameter was microscopic tumor inv asion, whereas overstaging was due to peri-tumor inflammation. Conclus ions: We believe the EUS is a reliable method, superior to all diagnos tic tools, in the evaluation of locoregional extension of gastric canc er.