[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [General pathology](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/) › [Gastrointestinal tract](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/areas/gi/) › Gastric polyps

# Gastric polyps

- Lesion

Most stomach polyps are harmless overgrowths from gastritis or acid-lowering drugs; gastric adenomas, though, often turn into cancer.

Updated Nov 12, 2026

## Key points

- Inflammatory and hyperplastic polyps: up to three quarters of gastric polyps; arise in chronic gastritis (H. pylori); dysplasia risk rises in polyps over one centimetre.
- Fundic gland polyps: body and fundus; increasingly common with proton pump inhibitor use (gastrin-driven); also in FAP and MUTYH polyposis, where dysplasia may occur.
- Gastric adenoma: up to a tenth of gastric polyps, usually solitary and antral, on atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia; risk of cancer is high, especially when larger than two centimetres.
- Gastric adenomas are managed more aggressively than colonic adenomas.

## What it is

Polyps are found in a few percent of upper endoscopies. They arise from epithelial or stromal hyperplasia, inflammation, ectopia or neoplasia. The three most common gastric types differ in their background and in cancer risk, so the pathologist's label decides what happens next.

## Structure

- Hyperplastic polyps: smooth ovoid surface; inflammatory polyps often eroded.
- Fundic gland polyps: small, well circumscribed, smooth, single or many.
- Adenoma: low-grade or high-grade dysplasia; high grade with budding and cribriform glands.

## The common gastric polyps

| Polyp | Background | Histology | Cancer risk |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Inflammatory or hyperplastic](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/helicobacter-pylori-gastritis/) | Chronic gastritis, H. pylori | Elongated, cystic, corkscrew foveolar glands in oedematous inflamed lamina propria | Low; higher above one centimetre |
| [Fundic gland polyp](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/colorectal-polyps-and-hereditary-polyposis-syndromes/) | Proton pump inhibitors, FAP, MUTYH | Cystically dilated glands lined by parietal, chief and foveolar cells; little inflammation | Negligible when sporadic; dysplasia possible in FAP |
| [Gastric adenoma](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/gastric-cancer/) | Atrophy and intestinal metaplasia | Dysplastic epithelium: elongated, stratified, hyperchromatic nuclei | High, rising with size |

## Clinical notes

- Peutz–Jeghers and juvenile polyps can also occur in the stomach; they are covered with the intestinal polyps.
- Many fundic gland polyps in a young person should raise the question of FAP.

## Memory aid

Hyperplastic from gastritis, fundic from the pill, adenoma from atrophy, and only the adenoma bites.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## Which drug class has made sporadic fundic gland polyps more common?

Proton pump inhibitors, which raise gastrin and stimulate oxyntic gland growth.

## Which gastric polyp carries the highest risk of adenocarcinoma?

The gastric adenoma, especially when larger than two centimetres.

## On what background do gastric hyperplastic polyps arise?

Chronic gastritis, most often H. pylori gastritis.

[Add to my cards (3)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/general-pathology/gastric-polyps/)

[More Pathology questions →](https://durgical.com/en/practice/?f=pathology)

## Connections

## Related 7

- [Gastric atrophy, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/gastric-atrophy-intestinal-metaplasia-and-dysplasia/)
- [Gastric adenocarcinoma: intestinal vs diffuse](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/gastric-adenocarcinoma-intestinal-vs-diffuse/)
- [Hereditary colorectal cancer: FAP and Lynch syndrome](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/hereditary-colorectal-cancer-fap-and-lynch-syndrome/)
- [Non-neoplastic colonic polyps](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/non-neoplastic-colonic-polyps/)
- [Colonic adenomas and serrated lesions](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/colonic-adenomas-and-serrated-lesions/)
- [Hyperplasia: physiologic and pathologic](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/hyperplasia-physiologic-and-pathologic/)
- [Dysplasia and carcinoma in situ](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/dysplasia-and-carcinoma-in-situ/)

## Related conditions 3

- [Helicobacter pylori gastritis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/helicobacter-pylori-gastritis/)
- [Colorectal polyps and hereditary polyposis syndromes (FAP, Lynch)](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/colorectal-polyps-and-hereditary-polyposis-syndromes/)
- [Gastric cancer](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/gastric-cancer/)

[← All of general pathology](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/)

Educational content on the mechanisms of disease; not a diagnostic or treatment guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.

Sources: [Gastric Cancer](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459142/) (StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf), 2025).

## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake

Representative model, for educational purposes only.

---
Source: https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/gastric-polyps/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/gastric-polyps/