Diagnostic criteria for gastrointestinal carcinomas in Japan and Western countries: Proposal for a new classification system of gastrointestinal epithelial neoplasia

The intercountry differences in the diagnoses of adenoma/dysplasia and early carcinoma can, in large part, be resolved by adopting terminology based on neoplastic severity and depth of invasion. Problems with defining intramucosal invasion are thus avoided. Moreover, grouping high-grade adenoma/dysplasia and mucosal carcinoma together in one category is clinically useful, as patients with small mucosal neoplastic lesions can be cured by endoscopic local resection.