Intestinal metaplasia is a condition in which the stomach cells are in the process of differentiation, that is, it is the set of small lesions found after endoscopy and biopsy that are considered pre-cancerous, which have the potential to become stomach cancer. This condition does not cause symptoms, but as it is associated with the infection of H. pylori bacteria, gastritis and gastric or intestinal ulcers, pain and burning in the stomach, nausea and dark stools may appear.
The treatment for intestinal metaplasia is not yet well defined, but the gastroenterologist can recommend the use of drugs to reduce the acidity of gastric juice and antibiotics to eliminate infection by H. pylori, such as amoxicillin, as this way it is possible to decrease cellular changes caused by this condition.
Main symptoms
Intestinal metaplasia does not cause symptoms, however, most of the time it is associated with the infection of the bacteria H. pylori, which causes gastritis and ulcers in the stomach and intestine, and in these cases, the signs that may arise are:
- Pain and burning in the stomach; Nausea and vomiting; Poor digestion; Feeling of swollen belly; Burps and intestinal gas constant; Dark and bloody stools.
Usually, the diagnosis of intestinal metaplasia is made by chance when the doctor is tracking other problems of the digestive system, including cancer, by performing tests such as digestive endoscopy and gastric biopsy.
The biopsy can be performed at the time of endoscopy, where the doctor takes a small sample from the stomach, in which it is usually with the appearance of whitish plaques or stains, and sends it to the laboratory for immunohistochemistry, where it will be analyzed cell types. See more about how endoscopy is done and how to prepare.
How the treatment is done
There is still no specific treatment for intestinal metaplasia, but the therapy to reverse this condition is recommended by a gastroenterologist and consists mainly of reducing symptoms of stomach inflammation, with the use of drugs to decrease acidity, such as omeprazole, and the elimination of infection by H. pylori bacteria through the use of antibiotics, such as clarithromycin and amoxicillin.
The doctor may also recommend medicines based on ascorbic acid, better known as vitamin C, and dietary supplements with antioxidant nutrients, as this can help decrease inflammation and reduce injuries caused by intestinal metaplasia.
In addition, it is very important to eat a balanced diet rich in antioxidant foods, found in foods containing beta-carotenes such as tomatoes, which help to minimize the symptoms of gastritis and ulcers, such as vegetables and yogurts. Check out more how the diet for gastritis and ulcers should be done.
Possible causes
The causes of intestinal metaplasia are still being investigated, however, this condition is probably caused by a combination of eating habits rich in foods with salt and poor in vitamin C, cigarette use and infection by the bacteria H. pylori. Genetic predisposition is an important risk factor in the development of this health problem, as people who have a family history of stomach cancer are more at risk of having intestinal metaplasia.
In some cases, intestinal metaplasia can also be caused by stomach acidity, as occurs in gastritis, formation of nitrate in the stomach and hypochlorhydria, as these situations damage the cells of the stomach wall. See more what is hypochlorhydria and how to treat it.
Is intestinal metaplasia cancer?
Intestinal metaplasia is not considered a type of cancer, however, it is known as for its precancerous lesions, that is, if it is not reversed it can become a cancer. The person who is diagnosed with this condition should be followed up with a long-term gastroenterologist to eliminate the H. pylori bacteria and undergo routine tests to see if the lesions of the intestinal metaplasia are regressing.
Therefore, it is important not to abandon the treatment even if it is long and the recommended diet must be maintained as this is how it will be possible to reduce the cellular lesions of the intestinal metaplasia and decrease the risks of this condition becoming a stomach cancer.
As gastritis is a risk factor for the development of intestinal metaplasia, see more about the diet to improve gastritis:
