Multimodal Al for Precision Diagnosis of Esophageal Cancer

ESD

Outro: ESD

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a minimally invasive endoscopic technique used for en bloc resection of superficial gastrointestinal neoplasms. The procedure is performed under conscious sedation or general anesthesia using a therapeutic endoscope. After lesion characterization and marking of the resection margins, a submucosal injection solution (e.g., saline mixed with epinephrine, dye, or viscous agents such as hyaluronic acid) is administered to lift the lesion from the muscularis propria. A circumferential mucosal incision is then made using an endoscopic knife, followed by meticulous submucosal dissection to separate the lesion from the underlying muscle layer. Hemostasis is achieved throughout the procedure using coagulation forceps or hemostatic devices as needed. The lesion is removed en bloc whenever possible, and the resected specimen is retrieved for histopathological evaluation. Post-resection inspection of the artificial ulcer is performed to assess for bleeding

ESD+surgery

Outro: surgery

Additional surgery refers to esophagectomy with regional lymph node dissection performed after non-curative endoscopic resection. The procedure is recommended for patients with pathological risk factors for lymph node metastasis, including deep submucosal invasion, lymphovascular invasion, positive vertical resection margins, or other non-curative resection criteria. Surgical treatment is performed according to institutional standards and current clinical guidelines.

Outro: ESD

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a minimally invasive endoscopic technique used for en bloc resection of superficial gastrointestinal neoplasms. The procedure is performed under conscious sedation or general anesthesia using a therapeutic endoscope. After lesion characterization and marking of the resection margins, a submucosal injection solution (e.g., saline mixed with epinephrine, dye, or viscous agents such as hyaluronic acid) is administered to lift the lesion from the muscularis propria. A circumferential mucosal incision is then made using an endoscopic knife, followed by meticulous submucosal dissection to separate the lesion from the underlying muscle layer. Hemostasis is achieved throughout the procedure using coagulation forceps or hemostatic devices as needed. The lesion is removed en bloc whenever possible, and the resected specimen is retrieved for histopathological evaluation. Post-resection inspection of the artificial ulcer is performed to assess for bleeding

NAT +surgery

Outro: NAT

Neoadjuvant therapy has become a standard treatment strategy for patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Administered before surgical resection, neoadjuvant treatment aims to reduce tumor burden, downstage disease, increase the likelihood of complete (R0) resection, and improve long-term survival outcomes. Current neoadjuvant approaches include chemotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, and more recently, immune checkpoint inhibitor-based combination therapies. Among these, neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy has demonstrated promising pathological response rates and survival benefits, emerging as an important treatment option for ESCC. However, treatment response varies considerably among patients, highlighting the need for reliable predictive models to guide individualized therapeutic decision-making.

Outro: surgery

Additional surgery refers to esophagectomy with regional lymph node dissection performed after non-curative endoscopic resection. The procedure is recommended for patients with pathological risk factors for lymph node metastasis, including deep submucosal invasion, lymphovascular invasion, positive vertical resection margins, or other non-curative resection criteria. Surgical treatment is performed according to institutional standards and current clinical guidelines.

Actual receipt of additional surgery

Actual receipt of additional surgery was defined as patients who underwent subsequent radical surgical treatment after ESD based on multidisciplinary team (MDT) recommendations, clinician judgment, and patient preference.

Presence of pathological indications for additional surgery

According to current guidelines, non-curative resection requiring consideration of additional radical treatment was defined by the presence of submucosal invasion (SM2 invasion), or lymphovascular invasion (LVI-positive), or a positive vertical resection margin (VM-positive).