Anatomical and histopathological distribution of gastrointestinal polyps in Gorgan, Iran (1999-2008)

Gastrointestinal polyps have pre-carcinomatous potential. In regard to increasing rate of gastrointestinal cancers and the relation between polyps with cancers, this study was done to determine the anatomical and histopathological distribution of gastrointestinal polyps in Gorgan, Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 290 patients with gastrointestinal polyps were undergoing colonoscopy or endoscopy in 5th Azar teaching hospital in Gorgan, northern Iran during 1999-2008. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathologic method. Gender and age was recorded for each patient. 56.6% of patients were males 19.3% of polyps was diagnosed in the sixth decade of patient's age. The most frequent pathological type of gastrointestinal polyps was adenoma (54.1%) followed by hyperplastic (19.7%), acute inflammatory (13.8%) and young polyps type (11.4%). Tubular type with 63% was the most common type of adenoma polyp followed by various villouses (19.1%) and tubulovillous (17.9%). 87.2% and 12.8% of polyps were in colon and stomach, respectively. The most frequent anatomical position of polyps was rectum (30%) followed by sigmoid with 26/1%. Adenoma polyp in colon was the most common type in gastrointestinal tract.