Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2026; 32(36): 119724
Published online Sep 28, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.119724
Published online Sep 28, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.119724
Table 1 Comparison based on lesion size increase (≥ 25%), n (%)
| Increased (n = 287) | Not increased (n = 2259) | P value | ||
| Sex | Male | 119 (41.5) | 1043 (46.2) | 0.132 |
| Female | 168 (58.5) | 1216 (53.8) | ||
| Age at diagnosis (mean ± SD) | 60.52 ± 13.29 | 66.76 ± 13.15 | < 0.001 | |
| Duration of F/U (mean ± SD, month) | 91.75 ± 46.89 | 77.79 ± 46.17 | < 0.001 | |
| Size (mean ± SD) | 7.45 ± 5.50 | 8.75 ± 5.92 | < 0.001 | |
| Size group | < 1 cm | 205 (71.4) | 1395 (61.8) | 0.007 |
| 1-2 cm | 70 (24.4) | 687 (30.4) | ||
| 2-3 cm | 8 (2.8) | 139 (6.2) | ||
| ≥ 3 cm | 4 (1.4) | 38 (1.7) | ||
| Shape | Round | 198 (89.6) | 1814 (91.7) | 0.297 |
| Irregular | 23 (10.4) | 165 (8.3) | ||
| Ulceration | Absent | 287 (100.0) | 2252 (99.8) | 0.425 |
| Present | 0 (0.0) | 5 (0.2) | ||
| Erosion | Absent | 287 (100.0) | 2237 (99.1) | 0.109 |
| Present | 0 (0.0) | 20 (0.9) | ||
| Rolling sign | Absent | 111 (52.1) | 657 (42.0) | 0.005 |
| Present | 102 (47.9) | 908 (58.0) | ||
| Cushion sign | Absent | 176 (84.2) | 1437 (85.9) | 0.499 |
| Present | 33 (15.8) | 235 (14.1) | ||
| Originating layer | Mucosa | 9 (8.0) | 128 (16.9) | 0.015 |
| Submucosa | 25 (22.1) | 198 (26.2) | ||
| Proper muscle | 79 (69.9) | 431 (56.9) | ||
| Echogenicity | Hypoechoic | 101 (87.8) | 702 (92.4) | 0.250 |
| Isoechoic | 4 (3.5) | 18 (2.4) | ||
| Hyperechoic | 10 (8.7) | 40 (5.3) | ||
| Homogeneity | Homogenous | 75 (67.0) | 570 (75.2) | 0.063 |
| Heterogenous | 37 (33.0) | 188 (24.8) | ||
| Internal change | None | 92 (80.7) | 536 (73.2) | 0.421 |
| Anechoic space | 7 (6.1) | 64 (8.7) | ||
| Calcification | 5 (4.4) | 37 (5.1) | ||
| Echogenic foci | 10 (8.8) | 85 (11.6) | ||
| Septation | 0 (0.0) | 10 (1.4) | ||
Table 2 Comparison based on lesion size increase (≥ 5 mm), n (%)
| Increased (n = 145) | Not increased (n = 2401) | P value | ||
| Sex | Male | 61 (42.1) | 1101 (45.9) | 0.374 |
| Female | 84 (57.9) | 1300 (54.1) | ||
| Age at diagnosis (mean ± SD) | 62.29 ± 12.45 | 66.28 ± 13.33 | < 0.001 | |
| Duration of F/U (mean ± SD, month) | 96.05 ± 45.75 | 78.36 ± 46.31 | 0.001 | |
| Size (mean ± SD) | 10.48 ± 7.29 | 8.49 ± 5.78 | < 0.001 | |
| Size group | < 1 cm | 68 (46.9) | 1532 (63.8) | < 0.001 |
| 1-2 cm | 55 (37.9) | 702 (29.2) | ||
| 2-3 cm | 18 (12.4) | 129 (5.4) | ||
| ≥ 3 cm | 4 (2.8) | 38 (1.6) | ||
| Shape | Round | 100 (84.7) | 1912 (91.8) | 0.007 |
| Irregular | 18 (15.3) | 170 (8.2) | ||
| Ulceration | Absent | 145 (100.0) | 2394 (99.8) | 0.582 |
| Present | 0 (0.0) | 5 (0.2) | ||
| Erosion | Absent | 145 (100.0) | 2379 (99.2) | 0.270 |
| Present | 0 (0.0) | 20 (0.8) | ||
| Rolling sign | Absent | 70 (66.7) | 698 (41.7) | < 0.001 |
| Present | 35 (33.3) | 975 (58.3) | ||
| Cushion sign | Absent | 88 (80.7) | 1525 (86.1) | 0.123 |
| Present | 21 (19.3) | 247 (13.9) | ||
| Originating layer | Mucosa | 7 (8.4) | 130 (16.5) | 0.153 |
| Submucosa | 24 (28.9) | 199 (25.3) | ||
| Proper muscle | 52 (62.7) | 458 (58.2) | ||
| Echogenicity | Hypoechoic | 74 (89.2) | 729 (92.0) | 0.205 |
| Isoechoic | 1 (1.2) | 21 (2.7) | ||
| Hyperechoic | 8 (9.6) | 42 (5.3) | ||
| Homogeneity | Homogenous | 50 (60.2) | 595 (75.6) | 0.002 |
| Heterogenous | 33 (39.8) | 192 (24.4) | ||
| Internal change | None | 59 (70.2) | 569 (74.7) | 0.439 |
| Anechoic space | 9 (10.7) | 62 (8.1) | ||
| Calcification | 3 (3.6) | 39 (5.1) | ||
| Echogenic foci | 13 (15.5) | 82 (10.8) | ||
| Septation | 0 (0.0) | 10 (1.3) | ||
Table 3 Comparison based on lesion size increase (≥ 10 mm), n (%)
| Increased (n = 44) | Not increased (n = 2502) | P value | ||
| Sex | Male | 17 (38.6) | 1145 (45.8) | 0.347 |
| Female | 27 (61.4) | 1357 (54.2) | ||
| Age at diagnosis (mean ± SD) | 61.86 ± 12.54 | 66.13 ± 13.32 | 0.031 | |
| Duration of F/U (mean ± SD, month) | 89.79 ± 45.92 | 79.18 ± 46.45 | 0.136 | |
| Size (mean ± SD) | 11.32 ± 9.42 | 8.55 ± 5.80 | 0.059 | |
| Size group | < 1 cm | 19 (43.2) | 1581 (63.2) | < 0.001 |
| 1-2 cm | 19 (43.2) | 738 (29.5) | ||
| 2-3 cm | 2 (4.5) | 145 (5.8) | ||
| ≥ 3 cm | 4 (9.1) | 38 (1.5) | ||
| Shape | Round | 26 (72.2) | 1986 (91.8) | < 0.001 |
| Irregular | 10 (27.8) | 178 (8.2) | ||
| Ulceration | Absent | 44 (100.0) | 2495 (99.8) | 0.767 |
| Present | 0 (0.0) | 5 (0.2) | ||
| Erosion | Absent | 44 (100.0) | 2480 (99.2) | 0.551 |
| Present | 0 (0.0) | 20 (0.8) | ||
| Rolling sign | Absent | 22 (71.0) | 746 (42.7) | 0.002 |
| Present | 9 (29.0) | 1001 (57.3) | ||
| Cushion sign | Absent | 27 (87.1) | 1586 (85.7) | 0.829 |
| Present | 4 (12.9) | 264 (14.3) | ||
| Originating layer | Mucosa | 2 (7.4) | 135 (16.0) | 0.474 |
| Submucosa | 8 (29.6) | 215 (25.5) | ||
| Proper muscle | 17 (63.0) | 493 (58.5) | ||
| Echogenicity | Hypoechoic | 27 (100.0) | 776 (91.5) | 0.287 |
| Isoechoic | 0 (0.0) | 22 (2.6) | ||
| Hyperechoic | 0 (0.0) | 50 (5.9) | ||
| Homogeneity | Homogenous | 12 (44.4) | 633 (75.1) | < 0.001 |
| Heterogenous | 15 (55.6) | 210 (24.9) | ||
| Internal change | None | 20 (74.1) | 608 (74.2) | 0.650 |
| Anechoic space | 1 (3.7) | 70 (8.5) | ||
| Calcification | 1 (3.7) | 41 (5.0) | ||
| Echogenic foci | 5 (18.5) | 90 (11.0) | ||
| Septation | 0 (0.0) | 10 (1.2) | ||
Table 4 Annual subepithelial lesion growth rate, mean ± SD
| Total population | < 1 cm | 1-2 cm | 2-3 cm | ≥ 3 cm | P for trend | |
| Annual growth rate | 1.17 ± 2.02 | 0.98 ± 1.46 | 1.16 ± 1.19 | 1.57 ± 0.71 | 10.29 ± 9.89 | < 0.001 |
- Citation: Choi Y, Park JY, Kim SE, Park JM, Kim JS, Chung H, Kim SH, Park CH, Kim SH, Park SY, Lee BE, Lee SW, Lee A, Lee JH, Jung DH, Jo HH, Yoo IH, Min BH, Jung HY. Natural history of asymptomatic subepithelial lesions of the upper gastrointestinal tract: A multicenter study in Korea. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(36): 119724
- URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v32/i36/119724.htm
- DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3748/wjg.119724