Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in developed countries. Increasing numbers of early stage colorectal cancers and precancerous adenomatous lesions, polypoidal type lesions, and flat and depressed type lesions can be visualised and treated endoscopically thanks to endoscopic ultrasonography, high magnification chromoendoscopy and other technical advances. Polypectomy is generally considered for protuberant lesions, with both sessile and pedunculate morphology, and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is indicated for superficial, flat or depressed types of lesions. Endoscopic therapy for colonic adenoma with dysplasia and early colorectal cancer is more advantageous than the conventional operative treatment, in that it is a relatively non-invasive and less costly method. However, endoscopic therapy is completely ineffective in lesions with lymph node or distant metastasis. Therefore, it is becoming more and more important to understand the correct indications and limitations of endoscopic polypectomy/mucosectomy as well as complication rates and the correct follow-up schedule.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.