The Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound in M-Staging of Gastrointestinal and Pancreaticobiliary Cancer

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is an inevitable tool for locoregional staging of upper gastrointestinal, rectal, and pancreaticobiliary cancer. Transabdominal ultrasound (TUS) and computed tomography (CT) are the most important methods used for the detection of liver metastases and other distant metastases. However, despite its limited operation range, EUS and EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) may add value to TUS and CT by detecting and proving ‘occult’ liver metastases and malignant ascites as well as nonregional lymph node metastases, adrenal metastases, and pleural carcinosis in approximately 5–20% of cases of pancreaticobiliary and upper gastrointestinal tract cancer. This article is part of an expert video encyclopedia.