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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 14, 2014; 20(14): 3880-3888
Published online Apr 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i14.3880
Current role of minimally invasive approaches in the treatment of early gastric cancer
Abraham El-Sedfy, Savtaj S Brar, Natalie G Coburn
Abraham El-Sedfy, Department of Surgery, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ 07039, United States
Savtaj S Brar, Natalie G Coburn, Division of Surgical Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
Author contributions: All authors were involved in writing, editing and revising the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Natalie G Coburn, MD, MPH, FRCSC, FACS, Division of Surgical Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Suite T2-60, 2075 Bayview Ave., Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada. natalie.coburn@sunnybrook.ca
Telephone: +1-416-4806100 Fax: +1-416-4806002
Received: October 8, 2013
Revised: December 29, 2013
Accepted: February 26, 2014
Published online: April 14, 2014
Processing time: 188 Days and 9.7 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Early gastric cancer (EGC) is associated with favorable prognosis and there have been many efforts made to minimize the invasiveness of resection. Curative minimally invasive approaches utilized for EGC include endoscopic, laparoscopic and robotic approaches, and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Endoscopic resections have been shown to be safe and effective treatments for carefully selected patients with EGC. In patients with EGC that are not candidates for endoscopic resection, laparoscopic and robotic resections allow for the appropriate curative resection and lymphadenectomy with the benefits of minimally invasive surgery, including improved pain, reduced blood loss, and shorter hospital length of stay.