Gastric xanthelasma may be a warning sign for the presence of early gastric cancer

A Case of Two Diametrically Opposed Gastric Xanthomas in the Pyloric Antrum: An Unusual and Benign Endoscopic Finding

Gastrointestinal tract xanthomas are rarely encountered findings in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. They are non-tumor, well-demarcated, yellowish mucosal plaques most commonly diagnosed in the stomach, especially in the antrum or the pyloric region. Histologically, a gastric xanthoma consists of foamy histiocytes in the lamina propria. Although it is a benign lesion, it can be associated with various precancerous conditions and its appearance can resemble malignancy. We report the case of a 74-year-old female patient who presented to the outpatient clinic with a six-month history of intermittent pain in the epigastrium. The patient's physical examination as well as the hematological and biochemical investigations were normal. The upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed yellowish plaques in the pyloric antrum of the stomach, which were diagnosed as gastric xanthomas by histological examination. The significance of gastric xanthomas in relation to gastric disease still remains to be determined. Given the frequent association of gastric xanthomas and known premalignant lesions and occasionally malignant changes of the gastric mucosa, we need to pay close attention to endoscopic diagnosis and histochemical and immunohistochemical evaluation.

Comparison of different risk stratifications for gastric cancer and establishing a simplified risk-scoring model based on the Kyoto classification

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The study aims to assess the value of different risk stratifications in diagnosing early gastric cancer (GC) and explore risk factors based on Kyoto gastritis classification.

METHODS

This study was a single-centered cross-sectional study; all epidemiological data and endoscopic findings were obtained prospectively. To evaluate the proportion of GC in each risk stratification and to compare the diagnostic performance of different methods using the receiver operating characteristic curve, univariable and multivariable analyses were used to explore the correlation between endoscopic findings and GC.

RESULTS

A total of 240 subjects were enrolled, and the diagnostic efficacy of the Kyoto Classification Score was similar to Operative Link on Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Assessment (OLGIM) stage, and the accuracy was higher than that of the Japanese scoring system and OLGA stage. Moderate atrophy (odds ratio [OR] = 3.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.52-8.16), severe atrophy (OR = 4.96, 95% CI: 1.75-14.04), map-like redness (OR = 9.89, 95% CI: 1.16-84.15), and xanthelasma (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.15-11.15) were independent risk factors for GC. The simplified Kyoto classification (area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUROC] = 0.76, P = 0.58) based on multivariable analysis demonstrated favorable diagnostic value compared with traditional Kyoto classification score (AUROC = 0.74).

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms the value of the Kyoto classification score and the OLGIM stage in the risk stratification of GC. Simplified Kyoto classification is also promising in risk assessment of GC but still requires validation in the population.

Gastric xanthelasma is a warning sign for Helicobacter pylori infection, atrophic gastritis, and intestinal metaplasia

Background

Contradictory evidence suggested gastric xanthelasma (GX) was associated with some upper gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. Additionally, no research has been performed on the relationship between esophageal/duodenal xanthelasma and upper GI diseases.

Methods

Individuals who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy at Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, participated in this retrospective study. This study evaluated whether the risk of GX or esophageal/duodenal xanthelasma was influenced by the following gastroesophageal diseases: superficial gastritis, gastric polyp, bile reflux, peptic ulcer, reflux esophagitis, Barrett's esophagus, esophageal cancer, atrophic gastritis (AG), intestinal metaplasia (IM), dysplasia, gastric cancer, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Furthermore, subgroup analysis was conducted to establish the relationship between the number of GX and upper GI diseases.

Results

Of the 69,071 subjects reviewed, 1,220 (1.77%) had GX, and 54 (0.08%) had esophageal/duodenal xanthelasma. There was no difference in the prevalence of upper GI diseases between patients with and without esophageal/duodenal xanthelasma. Nevertheless, compared with non-xanthelasma patients, GX patients had a greater proportion of AG, IM, dysplasia, gastric cancer, and H. pylori infection and a lower incidence of superficial gastritis (p < 0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated AG (OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.56-2.16), IM (OR = 2.42, 95%CI: 2.41-2.85), and H. pylori infection (OR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.17-1.50) were independent risk factors for GX. In addition, patients with multiple GXs had a higher rate of AG and IM than those with single GX.

Conclusion

Esophageal/duodenal xanthelasma may not be associated with upper GI diseases, and further research is needed to support this hypothesis. Notably, GX, especially multiple GXs, may be a more easily detected warning sign of AG, IM, or H. pylori infection.

Helicobacter pylori intragastric colonization and migration: Endoscopic manifestations and potential mechanisms

After being ingested and entering the human stomach, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) adopts several effective strategies to adhere to and colonize the gastric mucosa and move to different regions of the stomach to obtain more nutrients and escape from the harsher environments of the stomach, leading to acute infection and chronic gastritis, which is the basis of malignant gastric tumors. The endoscopic manifestations and pathological features of H. pylori infection are diverse and vary with the duration of infection. In this review, we describe the endoscopic manifestations of each stage of H. pylori gastritis and then reveal the potential mechanisms of bacterial intragastric colonization and migration from the perspective of endoscopists to provide direction for future research on the effective therapy and management of H. pylori infection.

Relationship between gastric xanthoma, gastric precancerous lesions, and gastric cancer: A retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between gastric cancer and its precancerous lesions and gastric xanthoma.

METHODS

Medical records of 47 736 patients who underwent gastroscopy in our center from January 2020 to December 2021 were reviewed. Patients' age, sex, endoscopic and histopathological findings, and the presence, number and location of gastric xanthoma were recorded. To investigate the detection rate of gastric xanthoma at different stages of gastric lesions, the participants were further divided into the chronic gastritis group (n = 42 758), the precancerous lesion group (n = 3672), and the gastric cancer group (n = 1306), respectively.

RESULTS

The overall detection rate of gastric xanthoma was 2.85%, and it was most commonly observed in the gastric antrum (52.50%). In addition, gastric xanthoma was more common in men and more likely to be single lesion. It was most detected in the precancerous lesion group (8.39%), followed by the gastric cancer group (5.44%), and least in the chronic gastritis group (2.29%). Multivariate analysis showed that gastric xanthoma was closely related to precancerous lesions (odds ratio [OR] 3.197, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.791-3.662, P < 0.001) and gastric cancer (OR 1.794, 95% CI 1.394-2.309, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Gastric xanthoma is closely related to gastric precancerous lesions and gastric cancer.

Risk factors for early gastric cancer: focus on Helicobacter pylori gastritis

Background: Gastric cancer is a global health problem, and the incidence and geographical distribution of different types of gastric cancer varies. Particularly, noncardiac gastric cancer is more prevalent in East Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Africa. Infection with Helicobacter pylori, which was discovered in 1982, is a common cause of chronic gastritis, and the association between H. pylori infection and gastric adenocarcinoma is well established.Current Concepts: Gastric cancer is histologically divided into 2 types: intestinal and diffuse. H. pylori infection is considered as the main risk factor for the development of both types of gastric tumors. The most documented course of development of stomach cancer is following cellular metaplasia due to chronic inflammation, damage, and repair. Various molecular alterations caused by H. pylori are identified not only in gastric cancer but also in precancerous lesions. Recently, many studies have attempted to diagnose H. pylori gastritis and precancerous lesions using endoscopy.Discussion and Conclusion: Recent studies have shown that eradication therapy stabilizes or reduces the risk of developing gastric cancer. Therefore, the diagnosis and understanding of gastritis and precancerous lesions caused by H. pylori are the first step in the prevention of gastric cancer.

Gastric Xanthelasma, Microsatellite Instability and Methylation of Tumor Suppressor Genes in the Gastric Mucosa: Correlation and Comparison as a Predictive Marker for the Development of Synchronous/Metachronous Gastric Cancer

A predictive marker for the development of synchronous/metachronous gastric cancer (GC) would be highly desirable in order to establish an effective strategy for endoscopic surveillance. Herein, we examine the significance of gastric xanthelasma (GX) and molecular abnormalities for the prediction of synchronous/metachronous GC. Patients (n = 115) were followed up (range, 12–122; median, 55 months) in whom the presence of GX and molecular alterations, including microsatellite instability (MSI) and methylation of human mutL homolog 1 (hMLH1), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) genes, had been confirmed in non-neoplastic gastric mucosa when undergoing endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early GC. At the start of surveillance, the numbers of positive subjects were as follows: GX, 59 (51.3%); MSI, 48 (41.7%); hMLH1, 37 (32.2%); CDKN2A, 7 (6.1%); APC, 18 (15.7%). After ESD treatment, synchronous/metachronous GCs occurred in patients with the following positive factors: GX, 16 (27.1%); MSI, 7 (14.6%); hMLH1, 6 (16.2%); CDKN2A, 3 (42.9%); APC, 3 (16.7%). The presence of GX had no significant relationship to positivity for MSI or methylation of hMLH1, CDKN2A or APC. GX was significantly (p = 0.0059) and independently (hazard ratio, 3.275; 95% confidence interval, 1.134–9.346) predictive for the development of synchronous/metachronous GC, whereas those genetic alterations were not predictive. GX is a simple and powerful marker for predicting the development of synchronous or metachronous GC.

Gastric Xanthoma Is Related to the Rapid Growth of Gastric Cancer

Early detection of gastric cancer is important. However, rapid growth of gastric cancers that cannot be resected endoscopically occurs even with periodic check-ups. Accordingly, we assessed factors associated with the speed of gastric cancer growth by examining historical endoscopic images. A total of 1996 gastric cancer cases were screened, and characteristics of lesions with slow and rapid growth were assessed. A total of 114 lesions from 114 patients were included in the assessment. Sixty slow-growing and fifty-four rapidly growing gastric cancers were compared. Female sex and incidence of lesions in the lower part of the stomach were significantly less frequent in the rapid-growth group than in the slow-growth group. History of endoscopic treatment tended to be more frequent in the rapid-growth group. Age, body mass index, histology, Helicobacter pylori status, and medications did not differ significantly between groups. Xanthoma was significantly related to rapid growth of gastric cancer, and map-like redness tended to be more frequent in the rapid-growth group in univariate analysis. Xanthoma was significantly related to rapid growth of gastric cancer on multivariate analysis. Further studies are warranted to clarify the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the speed of gastric cancer growth.

Recent advances in research of gastric xanthelasma

Gastric xanthelasma has always been considered a benign lesion of the stomach. It is formed by tissue cells or macrophages phagocytizing a large amount of lipid and accumulating in the lamina propria. However, recent studies have found that gastric xanthelasma is associated with precancerous lesions and gastric cancer, and should be differentiated from signet ring cell carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma of the stomach.

Exploration of endoscopic findings and risk factors of early gastric cancer after eradication of Helicobacter pylori

AIM

To explore the endoscopic features and risk factors of early gastric cancer (EGC) after eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).

METHODS

A total of 1961 patients who underwent esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (EGD) with a history of successful H. pylori eradication were enrolled in this multicenter research. Among them, 162 EGC lesions of 132 patients were detected. The endoscopic features and risk factors of post-eradication EGC were explored.

RESULTS

Severe atrophy (75.3% vs. 16.7%, p value <.01), intestinal metaplasia (96.3% vs. 77.1%, p value <.01), map-like redness (89.5% vs. 65.4%, p value <.01), distinct intermediate zone (IZ) (68.5% vs. 23.4%, p value <.01) and xanthoma (58.0% vs. 17.9%, p value <.01) were significantly more frequent in the CA group (patients with newly detected EGC after eradication of H. pylori) than in the NC group (patients without gastric cancer after eradication of H. pylori). In multivariate analysis, severe atrophy (odds ratio (OR) = 8.08; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.43-20.0; p value<.01), map-like redness (OR = 1.75; 95% CI, 0.11-5.25; p value = .04), distinct IZ (OR = 2.87; 95% CI, 1.20-6.93; p value = .02) and xanthoma (OR = 2.84; 95% CI, 1.20-7.03; p value=.02) were proved to be risk factors for detection of EGC after eradication of H. pylori.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe atrophy and map-like redness and distinct IZ and xanthoma are risk factors of EGC after eradication of H. pylori.

Gastric xanthoma is correlated with early gastric cancer of previously Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric mucosa

Background and Aim

Successful Helicobacter pylori eradication has been shown to prevent the development of gastric cancer (GC), but clinical evidence for factors that correlate with GC of previously H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa (after eradication or natural disappearance) is limited. The purpose of our study was to identify these correlative factors.

Methods

We retrospectively examined data from patients with previously H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa. Data from 168 patients who developed early GC and underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (Group C) and 835 patients with no history of early GC (Group NC) were compared. We extracted data on gender; age; complications from malignant disease and diabetes mellitus; American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification; and endoscopic characteristics of atrophy (open type), intestinal metaplasia, and gastric xanthoma (GX). Correlations were determined with multivariate logistic regression analysis and propensity score matching.

Results

A significantly higher proportion of patients had GX in Group C than in Group NC. Age, male gender, ASA physical status classification of class III or higher, complications from malignant disease, atrophy (open type), and the presence of intestinal metaplasia and GX were identified as factors that correlated independently with GC (odds ratio = 3.65; 95% confidence interval = 2.37-5.61; P < 0.0001). Propensity score matching demonstrated that the prevalence of GC was also significantly higher in patients who were positive for GX (37.2% vs 18.3%; P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

GX was shown to correlate with early GC of previously H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa.

High frequency of gastric cancer precursor lesions in patients with gastric xanthelasma: a prospective case-control study

OBJECTIVE

An association of gastric cancer and precursor lesions with gastric xanthelasma has frequently been reported. However, the incidence of both gastric xanthelasma and gastric cancer precursor lesions increases with age. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and characteristics of atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia in patients with gastric xanthelasma compared to controls.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Cases with gastric xanthelasma endoscopically and histopathologically were included in this prospective study. The patients included in the study were compared with age- and sex-matched controls in terms of the frequency and characteristics of atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and cancer.

RESULTS

In a series of 1892 upper endoscopies, 108 patients (5.7%) were found to have gastric xanthelasma. The average age of the patients was 61.41 ± 11.43 years. Among the patients, 58 (53.7%) were male. The frequencies of atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and gastric cancer in the xanthelasma group (n = 108) were 31.5, 68.5, 3.7 and 2.8%, respectively. The frequencies of atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and gastric cancer in the control group (n = 183) were 11.5, 31.7, 0.5 and 0.5%, respectively. Compared to the control group, the frequency of these cancer precursor lesions and the prevalence of advanced stage based on operative link on gastritis intestinal metaplasia assessment were found to be higher in the xanthelasma group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Gastric xanthelasma is associated with an increased frequency of gastric precancerous lesions and should be considered an important marker.

Gastric Xanthoma Associated with Gastric Cancer Development: An Updated Review

Gastric xanthelasma (GX) is a rare tumor-like lesion customarily found as an incidental finding due to its asymptomatic appearance. Grossly, it is a well-marked yellow-white plaque created in the lamina propria by microscopic clusters of foamy macrophages. Xanthelasma is rarely correlated with gastric hyperplastic polyps; gastric xanthomas are rare benign lesions that appear to be associated with inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Etiopathogenesis is also unclear, but it has been suggested to be involved in chronic gastritis, infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. The gastric xanthoma prevalence ranges from 0.23% to 7%. Orth first described the condition in 1887. It has been found that xanthelasmas are associated with chronic gastritis, gastrointestinal anastomosis, intestinal metaplasia, and H. pylori infection. These lesions predispose patients to gastric cancer conditions. Xanthoma (GX) was reported to be a predictive marker for early gastric cancer. However, the effectiveness of these scores and xanthoma (GX) as predictive markers for early gastric cancer detected after H. pylori eradication remains unknown.

Gastric Xanthomas and Fundic Gland Polyps as Endoscopic Risk Indicators of Gastric Cancer

Background/Aims

Fundic gland polyps (FGPs), hyperplastic polyps (HPs), and xanthomas (XTs) are common benign gastric lesions that can be diagnosed by endoscopic appearance alone in most cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between gastric cancer and these benign lesions.

Methods

Two expert endoscopists reviewed a series of gastroscopy images. FGPs, HPs, and XTs were diagnosed by endoscopic appearance, whereas all gastric cancers were confirmed pathologically.

Results

Of the 1,227 patients reviewed, 114 (9.3%) had a concurrent or past history of gastric cancer. The overall prevalences of FGPs, HPs and XTs were 9.4%, 6.3% and 14.2%, respectively. HPs and XTs coexisted in 1.6% of patients, whereas other combinations were rarer. XTs were observed in 39.3% and 11.5% of patients with and without gastric cancer, respectively (p<0.001). In contrast, no gastric cancer patients had FGPs, whereas 10.4% of patients without cancer had FGPs (p<0.001). The prevalence of HPs was similar between the two groups (8.8% and 6.0% of patients with and without cancer, respectively, p=0.29). Multivariate and Mantel-Haenszel analyses demonstrated that XTs were positively associated and FGPs were negatively associated with gastric cancer.

Conclusions

XTs and FGPs might be useful as endoscopic risk indicators for monitoring gastric cancer.

Gastric Xanthoma Is a Predictive Marker for Early Gastric Cancer Detected after Helicobacter pylori Eradication

Objective The detection of early gastric cancer (GC) after Helicobacter pylori eradication is expected to increase in Japan. However, the predictive markers for early GC detected after H. pylori eradication have not been extensively studied. We conducted a retrospective, single-center observational study to investigate the predictive markers for early GC detected after H. pylori eradiation. Methods A total of 421 patients underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection for early GC at NTT West Osaka Hospital between June 2006 and August 2017. Data from patients with GC (Group C; n=70) and without GC (Group NC; n=114) after H. pylori eradication were analyzed. Results The proportion of men was significantly higher in Group C than in Group NC (92.9% vs. 65.8%; p<0.0001). Complications with other malignant diseases were more prevalent in Group C than in Group NC. A significantly greater proportion of patients had gastric xanthoma (GX) in Group C than in Group NC (64.3% vs. 14.9%; p<0.0001). Regarding scores for endoscopic findings related to the risk of GC, the atrophy score, intestinal metaplasia score and total score were significantly higher in Group C than in Group NC. A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified male sex, atrophy (open type), the presence of intestinal metaplasia and GX as independent predictors for early GC detected after H. pylori eradication. An atrophy-matched control analysis also identified GX as an independent predictor. Conclusion GX is a novel predictive marker for early GC detected after H. pylori eradication.

Gastric xanthelasma associated with hyperplastic polyp and mucosal erosions: report of an unusual case and literature review

Gastric xanthelasma is a rare benign tumor-like lesion which is usually observed as an incidental finding due to its asymptomatic presentation. Grossly, it is a well-demarcated yellow-white plaque which is microscopically formed by clusters of foamy macrophages in the lamina propria. The pathogenesis and clinical significance are not clear. Gastric hyperplastic polyps are rarely associated with xanthelasma. Mucosal erosions also appear to have an association with the combined lesions of hyperplastic polyp and xanthelasma. Here, we report a rare case of simultaneous occurrence of gastric xanthoma with hyperplastic polyp and mucosal erosions. The lesions are observed in a 78 years old male who presented with a history of chronic anemia. The histological features together with a literature review of other similar reported cases are described and compared.

Gastric xanthelasma and metabolic disorders: A large retrospective study among Chinese population

AIM

To gain knowledge of xanthelasma, a large population-based study was conducted.

METHODS

Patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China during Jan 2009 to Nov 2016 were included. General characteristics as well as clinical data were collected, including blood routine, serum biochemical analysis, endoscopic findinds, histological evaluation and comorbiditie. Statistical analyses was performed using SPSS 20.0 software for Windows (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, United States) using Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ² test, univariable and multivariable logistic analysis. 2-tailed P value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 176006 endoscopies were retrieved and we included 1370 xanthelasma participants (703 men, 667 women) in this study. Prevalence of xanthelasma was 0.78% with average age of 56.6 ± 11.2 years. Chief complaint of xanthelasma consisted abdominal pain (24.2%), up-abdominal discomfort (14.1%), abdominal distention (10.1%), dyspepsia (9.1%), et al. Most xanthelasma occurred as single lesion in gastric antrum. Xanthelasma patients witnessed higher Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection rate, more of other gastric lesions including atrophy, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia (P < 0.01). In xanthelasma patients, serum carcinoembryonic antigen, triglyceride, fasting glucose, neutrophil, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were significantly higher, and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, lymphocyte was lower (P < 0.05). Xanthelasma accompanied with more fatty liver disease and hepatic cyst, but fewer gallbladder polyp (P < 0.05). In logistic regression, it revealed that fasting plasma glucose (OR = 3.347, 1.170-9.575, P < 0.05), neutrophil (OR = 1.617, 1.003-2.605, P < 0.05), and carcinoembryonic antigen (OR = 2.011, 1.236-3.271, P < 0.01) were all independent risk factors in xanthelasma.

CONCLUSION

Current study described a large xanthelasma cohort in Chinese population, revealed its relationship with H. pylori infection, carcinogenesis, metabolic dysfunction and inflammation as well.

Clinicopathological Assessment of Gastric Xanthoma as Potential Predictive Marker of Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Gastric xanthomas are frequently observed in the stomach as small yellowish plaques or nodules. A close relationship among Helicobacter pylori infection, atrophic gastritis, and xanthomas has been reported. We assessed the clinicopathological features of gastric cancer with or without xanthomas.

METHODS

A total of 91 patients who were diagnosed as having early gastric cancer were enrolled. We evaluated the gastritis status using scores for gastritis and atrophy, positivity of H. pylori infection, the prevalence rate of xanthomas, and the clinicopathological features of gastric cancer.

RESULTS

Gastric xanthomas were observed in 72.5% of early gastric cancer cases. Scores for gastritis and atrophy were significantly higher in the xanthoma-positive group than those in the xanthoma-negative group. A higher prevalence of differentiated-type adenocarcinoma was found in the xanthoma-positive group. Among the cases with multiple gastric xanthomas, the prevalence of males was significantly higher than that of females.

CONCLUSION

A high prevalence rate of gastric xanthomas in gastric cancer cases was shown. Xanthomas were highly associated with age, the severities of gastritis and atrophy, and differentiated-type adenocarcinoma. Regardless of the eradication of H. pylori, xanthomas may be useful predictive markers for the development of differentiated-type adenocarcinoma.

Gastric xanthoma is a predictive marker for metachronous and synchronous gastric cancer

AIM

To investigate predictive markers for metachronous and synchronous gastric cancer (GC), which can develop after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).

METHODS

A total of 352 patients underwent ESD for early GC at NTT West Osaka Hospital between June 2006 and February 2016. Exclusion criteria were as follows: Remnant stomach, unknown Helicobacter pylori status, and endoscopic observation of the whole stomach outside our hospital. We analyzed data from 192 patients comprising 109 patients with solitary GC (Group A) and 83 with metachronous and synchronous GC (Group B). We retrospectively investigated the clinicopathological and endoscopic characteristics, and endoscopic risk score as predictive markers for GC.

RESULTS

The median age of Group B [72 years (interquartile range 63-78)] was significantly higher than that of Group A [66 years (interquartile range 61-74), respectively, P = 0.0009]. The prevalence of intestinal metaplasia in Group B tended to be higher than that in Group A (57.8% vs 45.0%, P = 0.08). The prevalence of gastric xanthoma (GX) in Group B was significantly higher than that in Group A (54.2% vs 32.1%, P = 0.003). The atrophy score in Group B was significantly higher than that in Group A (P = 0.005). Multivariate analysis revealed that higher age and the presence of GX were independently related to metachronous and synchronous GC [OR = 1.04 (1.01-1.08), P = 0.02; and OR = 2.11 (1.14-3.99), P = 0.02, respectively].

CONCLUSION

The presence of GX is a useful predictive marker for metachronous and synchronous GC.

Is Gastric Xanthelasma an Alarming Endoscopic Marker for Advanced Atrophic Gastritis and Intestinal Metaplasia?

BACKGROUND/AIM

The clinical significance of gastric xanthelasmas is unknown. We conducted a case-control study in order to evaluate whether gastric xanthelasma is an indicator of advanced atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The study was conducted among 1400 patients who underwent elective upper endoscopy. Patients with gastric xanthelasma and atrophy and/or intestinal metaplasia constituted the study group (n = 55). The control group involved patients with only atrophic gastritis and/or intestinal metaplasia (n = 50). Histopathologic findings of the groups including the distribution of atrophic gastritis and/or intestinal metaplasia, operative link on gastritis assessment score, operative link on gastritis intestinal metaplasia assessment (OLGIM) score, and presence of dysplasia and malignancy were compared. Subgroup analysis was performed in order to establish the relation between the characteristics (size, number, and localization) of xanthelasmas, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia.

RESULTS

Multifocal atrophic gastritis was significantly more common in patients with a gastric xanthelasma (41.8 vs. 26.0 %, p = 0.03). Patients with multiple xanthelasmas had a significantly higher rate of intestinal metaplasia (p = 0.02) and a higher OLGIM score (p = 0.02) compared to those with a single xanthelasma. Dysplasia was detected in 8 (14.5 %) patients with a xanthelasma and 4 (8.0 %) patients without a xanthelasma (p = 0.2).

CONCLUSION

Gastric xanthelasma(s) is a warning endoscopic sign for the presence of multifocal atrophic gastritis and advanced intestinal metaplasia.

Gastric atrophy and xanthelasma are markers for predicting the development of early gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The significance of gastric xanthelasma in relation to gastric cancer still remains unclear. We investigated whether gastric xanthelasma would be a useful marker for predicting the development of early gastric cancer.

METHODS

A total of 1823 patients who underwent a medical health checkup were enrolled. We examined the relationship between gastric xanthelasma and various clinical features, and in an endoscopic follow-up study investigated whether the presence of gastric xanthelasma was predictive of the development of early gastric cancer.

RESULTS

In the initial endoscopic examination, gastric xanthelasma was detected in 107 (5.9 %) of the 1823 patients. The presence of gastric xanthelasma was significantly associated with age ≥65 years, male gender, open-type atrophy, and the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, and p < 0.0001, respectively). During the endoscopic follow-up period, early gastric cancer was found in 29 (1.6 %) of the 1823 patients. Gastric cancer occurred in 15 (14.0 %) of 107 patients with gastric xanthelasma, whereas it occurred in 14 (0.8 %) of 1716 patients without (p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that open-type atrophy and gastric xanthelasma were independently related to the development of gastric cancer (odds ratio 7.19 [2.50-20.83]; p = 0.0003 and 5.85 [2.67-12.82]; p < 0.0001, respectively). The presence of gastric xanthelasma was significantly predictive of gastric cancer development even in the selected high-risk groups with open-type atrophy or DM (p < 0.0001 or p < 0.0001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Gastric xanthelasma is a useful marker for predicting the development of gastric cancer.