Gastroenterology and Hepatology from Bed to Bench

Abstract

Aim:  The aim of this study was to present the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with gastric polypoid lesions and to study the histopathologic features of these lesions.

Background: The frequency of gastric polyps is gradually increasing due to the widespread use of endoscopic examinations.

Patients and methods: Clinical and endoscopic features of 100 gastric polyposis patients (with 107 polypectomy specimens) were retrospectively studied. All the specimens were histologically re-evaluated by two pathologists.

Results: 107 specimens of gastric polypoid lesions were identified in 100 patients. There were 73 men and 27 women with a median age of 49 years. The most frequent presenting symptom was dyspepsia (76%). The most common location was  antrum followed by the cardia. The frequencies of hyperplastic polyps, fundic gland and adenomatous polyps were 69.2 %, 6.6 %, and 4.7 % respectively. We also detected an inflammatory fibroid polyp, a carcinoid tumor and a case of leiomyoma in polypoid lesions. In 16.8% of cases histologic evaluation revealed only foveolar hyperplasia, intestinal metaplasia or edematous mucosa. Mild dysplastic changes were observed within three hyperplastic polyps and high grade dysplasia in two adenomas.

Conclusion: Hyperplastic polyps are the most frequently identified gastric polyps in our population. These polyps may contain foci of dysplasia. Presence of these changes as well as other unusual tumors with polypoid appearance can only be confirmed by histological examination. Therefore, endoscopic polypectomy is a safe procedure for both the diagnosis and treatment of gastric polypoid lesions.