Effect of endoscopic ultrasonography on the management of 100 consecutive patients with oesophageal and junctional carcinoma

Background Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) offers very accurate tumour and node staging information for oesophagogastric cancer. The aim was to determine whether the addition of EUS directly influenced the definitive management plan for individual patients. Methods Personal and staging information from 100 consecutive patients with carcinoma of the oesophagus or oesophagogastric junction were summarized and blinded. Three consultant oesophagogastric surgeons independently made a management decision for each patient, in the presence and absence of the EUS data. All scored their perceived value of the EUS staging data for each patient. Results EUS was deemed useful in 63–87 per cent of patients and its addition resulted in an increased number of concordant management plans (from 53 to 62 per cent), and increased agreement between surgeons. The greatest change in concordant management was an increased referral of patients for non‐surgical palliation. Conclusion The addition of EUS to the staging of patients with oesophageal and oesophagogastric junction cancer significantly altered the management strategy for some of these patients. Copyright © 2003 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Helpful in selection of patients for surgery