AIM AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course aims to strengthen the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of endoscopists in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, to improve the overall quality and reporting of procedures and to increase the detection rate of gastric cancer across clinical settings.

By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

• Identify and describe current technologies used in upper GI endoscopy, with emphasis on high-resolution imaging and virtual chromoendoscopy
• Recognise key anatomical landmarks and correlate them with expected findings; apply relevant endoscopic classifications, including the Paris classification, to support early detection and guide clinical decision-making in gastric lesions
• Describe the indications, principles and key steps of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) for the management of superficial gastric neoplastic lesions (3rd Edition)
• Explain appropriate biopsy techniques and the process of histological analysis; interpret pathology reports accurately and correlate findings with clinical presentations
• Identify endoscopic scores and superficial lesions using image and video interpretation, and integrate endoscopic and histological findings to inform clinical decision-making
• Analyse the epidemiology of post-upper endoscopy gastric cancer and the expected detection rates across different clinical settings
• Apply MAPS and other current guidelines for the management of premalignant and early malignant gastric conditions
• Enhance the quality of endoscopy reporting by understanding required components, identifying common procedural mistakes, and proposing strategies for improvement
• Explain the role of artificial intelligence in upper GI endoscopy, pathology, and training; critically appraise its performance and adhere to ethical and regulatory standards
• Discuss strategies to strengthen training and continuous professional development in upper GI endoscopy to support high-quality clinical practice (3rd Edition)
• Apply the basic principles and technical steps of ESD in a simulated environment, demonstrating safe scope handling and appropriate use of ESD devices (3rd Edition)