How do I Treat Gastric Polyps?

The right treatment for gastric polyps may depend on the diagnosis you receive. In the event that your gastric polyps are not causing health problems and do not seem to be harmful, you may not need any treatment at all. If they cause symptoms, however, you may have the option of taking medication as treatment or undergoing surgery. If your doctor has a suspicion that the polyps may be cancerous, it will probably prove important to have them removed. After removal, in such a case, the polyps will typically be examined for the presence of cancerous cells.

Gastric polyps are abnormal formations of tissue that develop in the lining of the stomach. They are rare, and if you do have them, you may not have any symptoms. In fact, your doctor may discover them only by accident, such as when he is examining you or running tests for an unrelated reason. Despite the fact that they may not cause symptoms, your doctor may want to remove the polyps surgically if there is any concern that the polyps may be cancerous. After removal, a medical professional will usually perform a biopsy for cancerous cells.

If your doctor is certain that the gastric polyps are not cancerous, treatment may depend on whether or not they are causing symptoms. In some cases, gastric polyps cause such symptoms as pain in the abdomen, soreness when something presses on the abdomen, stomach upset, and bleeding. Symptoms are particularly likely to develop and require treatment when the polyps grow large, become ulcerated, or obstruct the entry into or exit from the stomach.

Smaller polyps that are unlikely to be cancerous may only require periodic monitoring by a doctor. If they grow or exhibit other worrisome changes, your doctor may then recommend removal. If the polyps are a type that are more likely to develop cancerous cells, your doctor may also prefer to remove them. Likewise, larger polyps that exceed about 0.39 inches (1 centimeter) typically require removal.

Some gastric polyps can be treated with medication. If you have gastric polyps that are associated with inflammation of the stomach lining that is caused by H. pylori bacteria, your doctor may prescribe antibiotic treatment. In such a case, the antibiotics may cure the gastric polyps and prevent them from coming back. Sometimes, however, inflammation is caused by other problems, such as medication, and antibiotics are not effective in such a case.