LOCAL RECURRENCE OF COLORECTAL TUMORS AFTER ENDOSCOPIC MUCOSAL RESECTION - EVALUATION OF THE LATERAL MARGIN OF RESECTED SPECIMEN BY STEREOMICROSCOPY

We evaluated intramucosal local recurrences of 114 colorectal tumors w hich were removed by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). Removals of a ll these lesions were judged as successful by endoscopic absence of re sidual tumor immediately after EMR. The presence of residual tumor was determined by histologic and stereomicroscopic examinations in the la teral margin of resected specimen. There was no evidence of intramucos al local recurrence in 91 lesions with negative margin. However, intra mucosal local recurrence occurred in 3 of 23 lesions (13%) with positi ve margin. Consequently endoscopic follow-up is mandatory in patients with lateral margin positive for tumor tissue in the EMR specimen.