Paris Classification

In 2002, an international group of endoscopists, surgeons, and pathologists gathered in Paris to develop the endoscopic morphological classification for “superficial” neoplastic lesions in the esophagus, stomach, and colon [1]. A neoplastic lesion is considered “superficial” when its endoscopic appearance suggests that it has not penetrated the digestive wall beyond the submucosa. In Japan, neoplastic stomach lesions that appear “superficial” during endoscopy are classified as “type 0” subtypes. The term “type 0” was chosen to distinguish the classification of “superficial” lesions from the Borrmann classification, which was proposed in 1926 for “advanced” gastric tumors and included types 1 to 4. The endoscopic morphology of superficial lesions is associated with invasive potential and can help determine treatment strategies [2].