Evaluation of endoscopic characteristics of upper gastrointestinal polyps in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis.

BACKGROUND Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a disease inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. Most FAP patients develop upper gastrointestinal polyps; especially those in the antrum and duodenum are usually neoplastic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of gastroduodenal polyps in Iranian FAP patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS 28 patients affected by FAP underwent front-view and side-view endoscopy. Papillary biopsies were performed in all patients. Location of polyps, their number and size, pathology study, patient general information (gender, age, family history of FAP or colorectal cancer and gastroduodenal polyps) were analyzed. RESULTS Gastric polyps were seen in 39.3 % of patients. Some 72.7% of the affected individuals had fundic gland polyps and 36.36% had hyperplastic polyps. Duodenal adenoma was observed in 25% of patients. While 57% of patients had tubular adenoma with low grade dysplasia, 42.8% showed tubulovillous adenoma with low grade dysplasia. CONCLUSIONS Findings of this study indicated that the prevalence of gastroduodenal polyps in FAP patients is high and dysplasia may be evident in duodenal polyps. Therefore, it appears that routine gastroduodenal endoscopy in FAP patients is necessary.