Educational Articles
Gastric Polyps
Stomach polyps are rare, occurring in less than 1 percent of people undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy — a procedure in which the lining of the stomach is examined. Stomach polyps usually don't cause symptoms. As a result, doctors often discover stomach polyps only while they're examining you for other reasons.
The three most common types of stomach polyps are:
- Hyperplastic stomach polyp Hyperplastic stomach polyps account for more than half of all diagnosed stomach polyps. Hyperplastic polyps are usually less than a centimeter in size, but may grow much larger. These polyps develop into cancer in less than 3 percent of cases. The risk of cancer is highest in polyps greater than 2 centimeters in size. Hyperplastic polyps are associated with a condition called gastritis, which is inflammation of the stomach lining.
- Fundic gland stomach polyp Doctors recognize that these polyps, found in the top portion of the stomach (fundus), are more common than once thought. They were previously often misidentified or simply overlooked. Fundic gland stomach polyps are less of a concern because they don't turn into cancer, except rarely in people with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) syndrome. Fundic gland polyps have also been associated with long-term use of the drug omeprazole (Prilosec) — which is used to treat ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and infections of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria in the stomach.
- Stomach adenoma These growths arise from the stomach's glandular tissue and account for only about 10 percent of stomach polyps, but they present a greatest health concern. These polyps can become cancerous, especially when they grow larger than 2 centimeters. These polyps are also more common in people with stomach inflammation (gastritis). Adenomas need to be removed. Removal is usually done by endoscopy, although surgery is sometimes necessary.
CAUSES
Experts aren't sure why fundic gland polyps develop. However, several problems can cause the gastritis that contributes to hyperplastic polyps and adenomas.
The most common cause of chronic gastritis is infection by H. pylori bacteria, which can also cause ulcers. About 35 percent of American adults carry these bacteria in their stomachs. Although H. pylori doesn't always cause problems, it can infect and inflame the stomach lining. The resulting damage can set the stage for polyps. One study found H. pylori in 45 percent of people diagnosed with hyperplastic polyps.
Another cause of chronic gastritis is an autoimmune reaction, in which your body forms antibodies that attack cells in the stomach and a protein needed for absorbing vitamin B-12. This process may cause vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia in many people with stomach polyps. Anemia is a condition in which you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues.
DIAGNOSIS
If you have a stomach polyp, odds are good that your doctor detected it while looking at your stomach to seek out other problems — not necessarily polyps — that may have been causing symptoms. Imaging procedures — such as X-ray and computerized tomography — are used to diagnose polyps. More commonly, polyps are found by an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is a procedure in which a flexible, lighted tube is used to allow your doctor to view your esophagus, stomach, and the first part of your small intestine. The device also inflates your stomach with air, allowing the doctor to look at the stomach's folds. This procedure will reveal growths, red spots, bleeding and inflammation in the stomach.
You should avoid eating or drinking for at least six hours before endoscopy. Before putting the endoscope down your esophagus, your doctor will spray your throat with a numbing medicine or give you a sedative to relax you. The procedure should take 20 to 30 minutes, and shouldn't cause more than mild discomfort.
If your doctor finds polyps during the endoscopy, he or she may take samples (biopsy) or remove the entire growth, using special tools inserted through the endoscope. These include a small cutting device or a wire loop that burns tissue then snares it. A doctor can determine which type of polyp you have by examining its cells under a microscope.
Possible side effects from endoscopy include bleeding from the biopsy site, a sore throat, and bloating, which results from the air put into your stomach.
Depending on the type of polyp you have, your doctor may recommend a follow-up endoscopy in a year or two to see if more polyps have developed.
TREATMENT
If you have a stomach polyp, odds are good that your doctor detected it while looking at your stomach to seek out other problems — not necessarily polyps — that may have been causing symptoms. Imaging procedures — such as X-ray and computerized tomography — are used to diagnose polyps. More commonly, polyps are found by an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is a procedure in which a flexible, lighted tube is used to allow your doctor to view your esophagus, stomach, and the first part of your small intestine. The device also inflates your stomach with air, allowing the doctor to look at the stomach's folds. This procedure will reveal growths, red spots, bleeding and inflammation in the stomach.
You should avoid eating or drinking for at least six hours before endoscopy. Before putting the endoscope down your esophagus, your doctor will spray your throat with a numbing medicine or give you a sedative to relax you. The procedure should take 20 to 30 minutes, and shouldn't cause more than mild discomfort.
If your doctor finds polyps during the endoscopy, he or she may take samples (biopsy) or remove the entire growth, using special tools inserted through the endoscope. These include a small cutting device or a wire loop that burns tissue then snares it. A doctor can determine which type of polyp you have by examining its cells under a microscope.
Possible side effects from endoscopy include bleeding from the biopsy site, a sore throat, and bloating, which results from the air put into your stomach.
Depending on the type of polyp you have, your doctor may recommend a follow-up endoscopy in a year or two to see if more polyps have developed.