Stomach polyps are a rare condition characterized by cell mass formation on the inside lining of your stomach; they also called as gastric polyps.
Stomach polyp’s symptoms
A stomach polyp normally does not have any symptoms and your doctor for some other reason mostly diagnoses them during physical examination. It usually develops symptoms when the polyp enlarges and starts sore (ulcers) or blocking the opening between the stomach and small intestine (a rare occurrence).
Common gastric polyps’ symptoms are:
- Feeling pain or tenderness when pressing your stomach,
- Bleeding,
- Anemia
If you are having persistent gastric polyps’ symptoms, consult your doctor for proper treatment. Mostly, stomach polyps do not develop into cancer, but a certain type may increase your stomach cancer risk, thus your doctor may suggest removing it.
Gastric polyps causes
Formation of stomach polyps may be due to swelling, inflammation or other damage to the stomach lining. The common types of stomach polyps are:
- Hyperplastic polyps - is a form, which develops due to chronic inflammation in the cells of inside of the stomach lining. It is common among people with gastritis (stomach inflammation). This inflammation may be due to Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori, a bacterium that infects the inner lining of the stomach. These polyps are unlikely to develop as stomach cancer. However, a hyperplastic polyps size more than about 3/4 inch (2 centimeters) in diameter are at a greater risk to become cancerous.
- Fundic gland polyps - is a form, which develops from the glandular cells on the inside lining of the stomach. It is an inherited syndrome caused by familial adenotous polyposis or attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis syndromes. It is more common among chronic users of stomach acid reducing medication (such as proton pump inhibitors). You are not worried about these polyps, unless they are greater than 2/5 inch or 1 cm in diameter. The cancer risk is small even in larger polyps; still your doctor may recommend removing these polyps and stopping taking proton pump inhibitors.
- Adenoma is a benign tumor develops on the mucosa of stomach, small intestine, and colon. Although they are benign, it may progress to become malignant (cancerous adenoma). They are the least familiar stomach polyp type; however, the most likely to become stomach cancer. The preferred treatment is removing adenoma by surgery and monitoring the patient.
Stomach polyps risk factors
Certain factors may increase your chances of developing stomach polyps; they include:
- Age - People age 50 and older are more commonly diagnosing with stomach polyps.
- Bacterial infection - H. pylori bacterium is the most common cause of the gastritis, which contribute to hyperplastic polyps and adenomas.
- Heredity - Familial adenomatous polyposis is an inherited syndrome; your family members may already have it. It increases the risk of stomach polyps.
- Medications – prolong use of stomach acid reducing medications such as proton pump inhibitors, has a link with fundic gland polyps (a gastric polyps).
Stomach polyp’s diagnosis
Diagnosis procedure for stomach polyps includes:
- Endoscopy – is handy to view the inside of your stomach for any polyps.
- Biopsy – is taking tissue samples using or during endoscopy and analyze it in the laboratory to strike out cancer.
Gastric polyp’s treatments
Treatment for gastric polyps is generally depending on the type you are having:
- Smaller polyps – which are not adenomas, may not require any treatment. These polyps have not symptoms and may rarely develop as cancer. You may need to undergo periodic endoscopy to monitor the polyps, if it grows or causing any symptoms may need removal.
- Large polyps – does not require to remove; however, most stomach polyps are removed during endoscopy.
- Adenomas - are considering as benign and later develop to cancer, thus usually require removal.
- Familial adenomatous polyposis – are removed because they are linked with cancer.
- Polyps - develops due to gastritis caused by H. pylori bacteria in your stomach. Your doctor generally recommends a treatment to kill bacteria with antibiotics. This makes polyps to disappear and stop from recurring. You may require being in antibiotic treatment over several weeks to kill the H. pylori bacteria entirely.