HISTOLOGIC TYPES AND SURVEILLANCE OF GASTRIC POLYPS - A 7-YEAR CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This is a seven-year prospective study based on all g astroscopic examinations of our patient population in order to study g astric polyps. METHODOLOGY: One hundred and twenty-one polyps, removed from 96 patients were analysed. All polyps, after endoscopic polypect omy, were classified according to their histotype. The follow-up was c arried out in 49 patients for a mean time of 40 months. RESULTS: Polyp oid lesions were more frequent in females (57.3%) and they were prefer entially located in antrum (60.3%). Hyperplastic and inflammatory poly ps were 55.4% and 28.9%, respectively, while adenomatous lesions were 9.9%. Four fundic gland polyps, 1 carcinoid, 1 type I early gastric ca ncer and 1 pancreatic heterotopia were also found. During the follow-u p no malignant lesion was encountered. On the other hand 25 benign pol yps were found in 19 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience confirms th at there is a close relationship between the size of the polyps and th e neoplastic change. In fact, in our series all polyps were smaller th an 2 cm and only one malignancy was found (an early gastric cancer). N one of adenomatous polyps was associated with gastric adenocarcinoma. Our data also indicates that when a polypectomy is carried out for sma ll polyps (smaller than 2 cm.) a strict follow-up is necessary for the neoplastic polyps only.