Atrophic gastritis . One step to cancer?
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Hello My mum who is 66 years old has atrophic gastritis which I know it's the result of a chronic inflammation going on for a long time. She doesn't complain of pain, ocassionaly feels nausea and discomfort. She has had h pylori bacteria some years ago, but her endoscopy results showed a negative presence for h pylori now. I was very surprised because I know that this bacteria is one of the major cause for chronic gastritis. My mom doesn't take NSAIDs either or has bile reflux. Her exam showed atrophic gastritis which is a precursor to cancer. I'm worried about this. I can't understand why she has AG. Is this condition reversible if treated or the cells are so damaged that doesn't heal ever? If someone has suffered with atrophic gastritis with no obvious cause please let me read about your experience.
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sanya11314 Leni75
Posted
Is she A or B gastritis?
It the atrophy called mild, moderate or severe? (it makes a difference to risk)
My mum -similar age- has had gastritis B for decades (not atrophic though), she needs regular gastroscopic check ups. So we feel comfortable that any malignous change, that is not 100% said to happen, but the risk is higher, would be caught in time.
(People live without stomachs, we are pretty relaxed)
Some people have chronic gastritis for decades and not resulting in atrophic gastritis (loss of glandular cells, getting more fibrous cells = scars, which cannot do same job, you run the risk of developing malabsorbtion/nutrition of iron and VitB12).
But just the same risk:
Chronic gastritis per se has to be monitored as there is always a higher risk connected to gastric cancer developement,
but the risk to develope gastric cancer is even higher in those,
who have atrophic (severe grade!) gastritis either as A or B type. Yes. True.
Antral chronic gastritis (B-type, non-immune) has a higher risk than body chronic gastritis (A-type, immune type) (without atrophy even) it seems.
The highest risk is, if you have severe atrophic gastritis AB, meaning in both parts of the stomach. (hence my question to have a look at her results of location antrum vs body or both and severeness)
Yet again this is a pure risk statistic.
What can you do: regular check ups, early detection just in case.
Due to atrophy one needs VitB12, iron (red blood level) checked, too.
ALL ALL THE BEST!
paul77828 Leni75
Posted
Studies show that if you have h pylori for a long time (years and years) then it can cause atrophic gastritis. Once your stomach lining erosion becomes atrophic the bacteria can't survive there anymore and then dies, so you become negative.
It seems that the little critters damage your stomach so much that they can't live there anymore so die off. But obviously this leaves you exposed to increased risk of gastric cancer.
If you have h pylori caused chronic gastritis (like I had) then you need to get rid of the bacteria or else you won't heal fully. I got rid of it using triple therapy and I'm now about 90% healed. Only if I really push my stomach through bad diet do i feel pain now.
My gastritis was only 'mild' and not atrophic thankfully, but if I'd had the h pylori infection for years id prob ended up with atrophic gastritis.
Leni75 paul77828
Posted
Hi I see. I have stomach inflammation for almost a year. Does it mean it's atrophic now ? I've had 4 major attacks of pain and almost went to the a&e. I've had 3 treatments so far, last in April and still positive. I'm an unlucky one and my gastro isn't helping me at all. My stomach can't take it anymore.