title: Endoscopic findings in a biennial follow-up program in patients with pernicious anemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is known that patients with pernicious anemia have a higher risk of gastric neoplasms. However, the optimal endoscopic follow-up in these patients has not been properly defined. This study was aimed to assess the usefulness of an endoscopic follow-up program.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the endoscopic and histological findings of the first endoscopy performed in a group of 128 patients with the diagnosis of pernicious anemia who were referred to the Endoscopic Unit, and we evaluated the results of the biannual follow-up endoscopies made to 68 of them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The initial endoscopy did not provide evidence of any lesions in 107 patients (83.5%), and polypoid lesions were found in 12 cases (9.4%). The histological results showed gastric dysplasia in 3 patients (2.3%) and carcinoid tumor in 2 cases (1.6%). No cases of gastric carcinoma were found. During the endoscopic follow-up of 68 patients, in 52 of them (76.8%) there were no endoscopic findings, and raised lesions were detected in 8 patients (11.8%). Three cases of gastric dysplasia were found. No cases of gastric carcinoma or carcinoid were detected during the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that a biannual endoscopic follow-up in not useful for the early detection of gastric neoplasms in patients with pernicious anemia.
authors.affiliation: Endoscopy Unit, Gastroenterology Department, Institut de Malalties Digestives, Hospital Clínic Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bresky
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mata
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Llach
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ginis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellisi
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Soria
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Esparrach
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mondelo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bordas
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000752:Anemia, Pernicious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005773:Gastroscopy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D013030:Spain; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology