Effective utilization of polypectomy in endoscopic salvage treatment of rectal neuroendocrine tumors: a retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Current guidelines recommend endoscopic resection for rectal neuroendocrine tumors (RNETs) under 10 mm. Incomplete resections necessitate salvage procedures, highlighting the need for complete R0 resection. This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of wide hot snare polypectomy (WHSP) compared to endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for the salvage treatment of small RNETs. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Korea University Guro Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022. It compared the outcomes of salvage resections for RNETs ≤10 mm using 2 approaches ESD and EMR vs. WHSP. Demographics, tumor characteristics, and clinical outcomes were compared. Efficacy was evaluated by the histological complete resection rate and procedure time, while safety was assessed by the incidence of complications. Results: Out of 135 patients undergoing salvage resection for RNET, 14 who underwent transanal excision were excluded. Of the remaining 121, 99 underwent EMR or ESD, and 22 underwent WHSP. Baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups. The WHSP group demonstrated a significantly higher R0 resection rate (72.7% vs. 49.5%, P = 0.010) and a shorter median procedure time (3.5 minutes vs. 8.3 minutes). No complications were reported in the WHSP group. Conclusion: WHSP is a rapid, straightforward, safe, and effective approach for the salvage treatment of RNETs less than 10 mm in diameter, particularly in patients without additional risk factors.