Accuracy of staging in early oesophageal cancer using high resolution endoscopy and high resolution endosonography: a comparative, prospective, and blinded trial

The increasing use of endoscopic resection for curative treatment of early oesophageal cancers requires accurate staging before therapy. In a prospective blinded trial, we compared staging of early oesophageal carcinoma using high resolution endoscopy (HR-E) with staging using high resolution endosonography (HR-EUS).A total of 100 patients (89 men, 11 women; mean age 63.9 (10.8) years (range 31-91)) with a suspicion of early oesophageal adenocarcinoma (n = 81) or squamous cell carcinoma (n = 19) were enrolled in the study. After endoscopic staging with high resolution video endoscopy by two experienced endoscopists, HR-EUS was performed by an experienced endosonographer who was blinded to t…