Do gastric polyps require surgery?

Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 06, 2024
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Gastric polyps are relatively common in clinical settings. Generally, patients do not exhibit symptoms and discover the condition either during physical examinations or incidental gastroscopic examinations. Of course, a small portion of patients may experience certain gastrointestinal symptoms, manifesting as dull pain in the upper abdomen, bloating, nausea, etc. The treatment for gastric polyps generally varies depending on the location, size, and number of the polyps. If the polyps are small, particularly less than 0.5 cm, it is recommended that patients undergo regular observations and gastroscopic examinations every six months to a year. If there are no significant changes in the polyps, symptomatic treatment may not be immediately necessary. However, if the polyps are larger, especially if they are numerous or larger than 1 cm, it is advisable for patients to have them removed via gastroscopy for biopsy to rule out the possibility of malignant changes. Therefore, for patients with gastric polyps, it is recommended to have regular follow-ups and consider endoscopic removal, which is generally a relatively safe procedure that should not be overly worrisome.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
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How to control and treat gastric polyps.

The treatment of gastric polyps includes minimally invasive polyp removal via endoscopy and surgical treatment. If the polyp is small and pedunculated, it can be removed by endoscopy. After removal, treatments to suppress stomach acid and protect the stomach lining are administered. If the polyp is large and sessile, making endoscopic removal difficult, surgical intervention may be necessary. After the removal of the polyp, it is routine to conduct pathological tests, and regular follow-up gastroscopies are necessary to confirm whether there is a recurrence of the polyps.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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Can stomach polyps be felt by touch?

Gastric polyps are relatively common in gastroenterology and are generally asymptomatic. However, if the polyps are relatively large or numerous, symptoms such as early satiety, abdominal distension, and nausea may occur. Gastric polyps cannot be detected through physical examination, which generally yields negative results. There may be some abdominal tenderness, but gastric polyps cannot be detected through physical examination. The diagnosis of gastric polyps primarily relies on completing a gastroscopic examination, which can provide reference values for the size, scope, and quantity of the polyps. Therefore, gastric polyps cannot be detected by physical examination, and it is recommended to complete a gastroscopic examination for further clarification. Thus, as mentioned above, gastric polyps cannot be detected by physical examination; a comprehensive gastroscopic examination is recommended.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Are stomach polyps likely to lead to stomach cancer?

Gastric polyps are precancerous lesions of gastric cancer, posing a significant risk of developing gastric cancer. There are several types of gastric polyps, including fundic gland polyps, hyperplastic polyps, and adenomatous polyps. Adenomatous polyps, in particular, have a higher rate of malignant transformation, with 11% of patients developing gastric cancer through dysplastic growth over four years. Therefore, patients with gastric polyps should undergo early removal under gastroscopy, followed by pathological classification. After treatment, regular gastroscopic examinations are necessary. It is also important to adjust the diet, avoid eating moldy food, and reduce consumption of salty and pickled foods, while increasing intake of fresh foods, fresh green vegetables, and fruits, and maintaining a positive mental attitude.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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Can gastric polyps be eradicated?

If a gastric polyp is discovered during a gastroscopy in the course of a medical consultation, it is generally not a problem if it is promptly removed via endoscopy, followed by regular check-ups. Therefore, patients do not need to worry too much or bear a heavy psychological burden. Clinically, gastric polyps are relatively common and are generally considered benign lesions that can be managed with regular follow-up and endoscopic removal. Most patients visit the gastroenterology outpatient clinic due to abdominal discomfort and gastric polyps are often discovered incidentally during gastroscopy. Symptoms in most patients include upper abdominal discomfort, which can manifest as bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, belching, etc., and vary widely. Diagnosis generally relies on gastroscopy, so for patients suspected of having gastric polyps, timely gastroscopic examination is recommended. If the polyps increase in number or size, timely endoscopic removal is advisable.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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Symptoms of gastric polyps

Gastric polyps are also relatively common in clinical practice, especially in the outpatient department of gastroenterology. The symptoms of gastric polyps can generally be divided into several types. The first type is asymptomatic; patients undergo gastroscopy due to abdominal discomfort or incidental findings, discovering gastric polyps that are generally small, usually less than 0.5 cm. From a treatment perspective, regular observation can be sufficient without intervention, and a gastroscopy recheck every six months to a year is advisable. However, a small portion of patients may experience certain symptoms such as nausea, early satiety, burping, and belching, etc. Generally, the symptoms are mild and do not affect daily life or sleep, so there is no need for undue concern. The treatment of gastric polyps generally falls into two categories; the first is regular observation, possibly because the polyps are relatively small; the second, if the polyps are larger, or if they have been found to increase in size during regular check-ups, considering removal through endoscopy might be necessary.