Table 1. High-risk characteristics leading to consider esophagectomy for early stage tumor; adapted from Konda et al. (24).

Endoscopic characteristics

Long-segment BE

Visible lesions with high risk endoscopic characteristics

Polypoid mass

Excavated lesions or ulcers

Evidence of LN involvement by EUS + FNA

Pathological characteristics

Multifocal HGD

Evidence of submucosal invasion (T1B)

Deeper two thirds of the submucosa carries high risk of LN metastasis

Moderately or poorly differentiated tumor

Evidence of lymphatic channel invasion

Evidence of vascular invasion

Evidence of neural invasion

Treatment characteristics

Failure of ablation of remainder for Barrett’s epithelium

Incomplete endoscopic mucosal resection

Piecemeal endoscopic resection (as opposed to en bloc resection)

Longer time to achieve eradication

BE, Barrett’s esophagus; EUS, endoscopic ultrasound; FNA, fine needle aspiration; HGD, high grade dysplasia; LN, lymph node.