Stomach polyps are rare and often asymptomatic, but can cause indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal tenderness if they grow near an opening or become large. There are three types of stomach polyps, and treatment is only necessary if the polyp is likely to cause problems in the future. Removal can be done with an endoscope.
Unlike polyps that are often found in the colon, stomach polyps are relatively rare, according to the Mayo Clinic. A stomach polyp is made up of a mass of cells and grows on the stomach lining. It often causes no symptoms and can only be discovered when an examination is done for another purpose.
Despite the fact that a stomach polyp usually has no symptoms, polyps that grow near one of the stomach openings or become very large will cause some generalized stomach symptoms. A polyp that blocks the opening to the small intestine causes indigestion, nausea, and possibly vomiting. Large polyps can lead to abdominal tenderness, either constant or noticeable when the abdomen is pressed. Sometimes polyps can develop superficial ulcers, causing bleeding in addition to some or all of the other symptoms already mentioned.
Treating a stomach polyp is often unnecessary, as a polyp generally doesn’t cause any problems and often doesn’t become cancerous, although this depends on the particular type of polyp. Your doctor will evaluate the stomach polyp to see if it is likely to cause problems in the future. If it is one of the types that can lead to difficulties, your doctor will most likely recommend that it be removed.
There are three main types of stomach polyps. Fundic gland polyps grow from glandular cells in the stomach lining. These can occur in anyone, but are more common in people with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), an inherited predisposition to colon cancer. Fundic gland polyps are at a high risk of turning into stomach cancer in people with FAP.
Adenomas also form from glandular tissue in the stomach lining, but in a different way than fundic gland polyps. As adenomas begin to grow, they develop an error in their deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that makes them at high risk of becoming cancerous. They are almost always associated with chronic gastritis or FAP.
Hyperplastic polyps form as a reaction to chronic inflammation in the stomach lining, such as is found in people with gastritis. These polyps usually don’t become cancerous. The exception is that large polyps, those more than 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) in diameter, are more likely to develop into stomach cancer and consequently pose a higher risk.
If a doctor decides that a stomach polyp needs to be removed, the removal can often be done with an endoscope, a tube that is inserted into the stomach through the mouth. Tools can be passed through this tube and stomach polyps can be cut out of the lining. Medications to control infection and inflammation can be used to prevent the polyps from growing and recurring in the future.
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