The Role of Endoscopy in Small Bowel Malignancies

The role of endoscopy in the management of small bowel cancers is diverse and includes methods for obtaining a tissue diagnosis, staging malignancy, and resection of tumors. In addition, endoscopy allows for management of complications associated with small bowel malignancies, including relief of obstruction and hemostasis. Endoscopic ultrasound is a critical endoscopic technique for the diagnosis and staging of such malignancies and may contribute by defining which lesions are amenable to therapeutic endoscopic resection. Previously, endoscopic techniques were largely limited to the proximal small bowel. However, advancements in endoscopic techniques, including balloon enteroscopy and capsule endoscopy, have enabled endoscopic examination of the entire small bowel. Endoscopic management can be considered as a potential alternative to more invasive surgical approaches for control of bleeding and relief of obstruction in many instances. This edition first published 2013