Pyloric Gland Adenoma – How to Diagnose?

Overview

The term “pyloric gland adenoma” reflects its etiogenesis from deep mucoid glands in the stomach. The diagnosis can be confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Typically, pyloric gland adenomas are strongly positive for Mucin 6 (deep mucoid gastric glands). These lesions express Mucin 6 over the whole lesion up to the surface often only with a small layer of columnar epithelium expressing Apomucin 5AC. The amount of mucin 5AC which is expressed on normal within the apical foveolar epithelium might vary from case to case. Combination or transdifferentiation with ordinary tubular (intestinal differentiation) adenoma can be observed. The gastric corpus mucosa of elderly female patients with autoimmune gastritis is highly affected. The frequency of pyloric gland adenoma is given in the literature being 2.7% of all gastric polyps. Therefore pyloric gland adenomas are not that rare that one might assume. Only a few publications are available which makes one think that these lesions are frequently misinterpreted. Pyloric gland adenomas can arise in gastric heterotopia and gastric metaplasia in the whole gastrointestinal tract. The clinical significance is given by a 30% rate of malignant transformation. These cases represent for the most well differentiated early adenocarcinomas which are known to have an excellent prognosis after complete polypectomy and limitation to the mucosal layer.

Key words:
pyloric gland adenoma – gastric polyp – adenocarcinoma