Cystic "hamartomatous" epithelial polyps of the stomach.

Nine cases of cystic polyps were found among 15,000 routine gastroscopies. All but one of the subjects were women. The polyps were found only in the body of the stomach. They were less than 5 mm in size and in most cases multiple. Endoscopically they were verruca-like lesions and appeared to be loosely attached to the mucosal membrane. They consisted of mucosal cysts lined with normal but irregularly arranged epithelial cells of the body mucosa. No inflammatory reaction or metaplasia was seen in the polyps or outside them. These characteristics suggested the hamartomatous nature of these polyps.