Part UT Health San Antonio
UT Health San AntonioUT Health San Antonio

UTSA Part of UT Health San Antonio

Contact Us | 210-450-9000

Menu
  • Find a Provider
  • Services
  • Cancer Types
  • Locations
  • Patient Care
  • Cancer Center
  • MyChart
  • X
  • Conditions
  • Conditions In-depth
  • Procedures
  • Wellness Centers
  • Natural & Alternative
  • Drug Info
  • Procedure Animations
  • Wellness Videos
Symptom CheckerQuick Nav
 
Health Library Home>Disease, Condition, & Injury Fact Sheets>Article

Stomach Polyps

(Gastric Polyps)

How to Say It: Stuh-muk Pall-ups

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA
Definition
Causes
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention

Definition

A stomach polyp is a growth in the lining of the stomach. Most polyps are not cancerous, but some can grow into cancer.

Common types are:

  • Hyperplastic—most common
  • Fundic gland—found in the upper part of the stomach
  • Adenoma—most likely to later become stomach cancer (least common)

Causes

Stomach polyps often start because of injury or irritation of the lining of the stomach. This may happen with:

  • Aging
  • Stomach acid levels that are too high or too low
  • Infections
  • Health problems

Some stomach polyps may also be caused by problems with genes.

Risk Factors

This problem is more common in older adults. Other things that may raise the risk are:

  • Gastritis
  • Helicobacter pylori infection
  • Pernicious anemia
  • Gastric ulcers
  • Prior stomach surgery
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease ( GERD)
  • Long term use of medicines that lower acid in the stomach
  • Having other family members with this problem

Gastric Ulcer

Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Symptoms

Most stomach polyps do not cause problems.

Larger polyps may cause:

  • Belly pain
  • Blood in vomit or stool
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Loss of hunger
  • Heartburn
  • Problems swallowing

Diagnosis

Polyps are often found during images taken for other reasons. More tests may be done, such as:

  • Abdominal ultrasound
  • Upper GI endoscopy —a thin, lighted tube placed in the mouth to view inside the stomach

Treatment

Most stomach polyps will not need to be treated. Small polyps that may have a risk of cancer will be watched. They may not need to be taken out.

Polyps that cause problems may need to be treated. This will depend on the size, number, and type of polyps. Antibiotics may be used to help shrink them.

Large polyps or those with a high risk of turning into cancer may be taken out. This can be done with:

  • Endoscopy
  • Gastrostomy —removal through a cut in the stomach wall
  • Partial gastrectomy —partial removal of the stomach to remove multiple polyps

Prevention

There are no known guidelines to prevent this health problem.

RESOURCES:

American College of Gastroenterology
http://patients.gi.org

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
https://www.niddk.nih.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
https://www.cag-acg.org

Canadian Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.ca

REFERENCES:

Non-cancerous tumours of the stomach. Canadian Cancer Society website. Available at: https://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/stomach/stomach-cancer/non-cancerous-tumours/?region=on. Accessed March 25, 2021.

Shaib YH, Rugge M, et al. Management of gastric polyps: an endoscopy approach. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013;11(11):1374-1384.

Last reviewed December 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Daniel A. Ostrovsky, MD  Last Updated: 3/25/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.

Copyright ©  EBSCO Information Services
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy
Physicians and care providers of
UT Health San Antonio

8300 Floyd Curl Dr.

San Antonio, TX 78229

210-450-9000

Connect with us
  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • Language Assistance
We make lives better ©

We're a part of UT Health San Antonio, provider of comprehensive health,  dental, &  cancer care,  advanced academics  and  life-saving research.

Web Privacy | Links from websites affiliated with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio's website (uthscsa.edu) to other websites do not constitute or imply university endorsement of those sites, their content, or products and services associated with those sites. The content on this website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Health information on this site is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat conditions. Consult a health care provider if you are in need of treatment.