Korean dancer Popping Hyun Joon recently posted a photo on social media of himself in a hospital gown receiving intravenous fluids, accompanied by a brief message: "Stay healthy."
The reason for his hospitalization was the removal of a gastric adenoma. While he deflected concerns from acquaintances with his characteristic humor, saying "I'll stay alive until you come," gastric adenoma is, as he himself noted, a precancerous lesion with a high likelihood of progressing to cancer if left untreated.
Popping Hyun Joon's disclosure has served as an opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of gastric adenoma, a condition that adults in their 40s and 50s often overlook on their health screening results.
The Hidden Trap in 'Benign Tumors'
Gastric adenoma is an abnormal growth on the stomach wall. Although classified as a benign tumor rather than cancer, doctors warn that "patients should never feel reassured by the word 'benign.'" This is because even when a biopsy of only the surface of the growth shows an adenoma, a detailed examination after removing the entire growth often reveals cancer cells already hidden inside.
In fact, according to research by the Department of Gastroenterology at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, about two out of every 10 gastric adenoma patients (approximately 22%) had early gastric cancer accompanying the growth. When the growth is 2 centimeters or larger, the probability of hidden cancer rises to nearly half.
Gastric adenomas are classified into low-grade and high-grade stages depending on the severity of the cell abnormalities. Even at the low-grade stage, approximately 20% progress to gastric cancer. If high-grade adenomas are left untreated, six to eight out of 10 deteriorate into cancer. This means they must be removed as soon as they are discovered.
No Symptoms — Regular Endoscopy Is the Only Answer
Gastric adenoma rarely causes heartburn or pain. Popping Hyun Joon himself was able to receive timely treatment after his adenoma was incidentally discovered during a gastroscopy as part of a routine health screening.
The medical community recommends that adults aged 40 and older receive a gastroscopy once every two years. Those who have previously had a gastric adenoma removed, or who show signs of "intestinal metaplasia" — a condition where the stomach wall has become roughened — should be examined annually.
Treatment is not a major burden. Rather than open abdominal surgery, doctors insert an endoscope through the mouth to remove only the problematic growth. Because the stomach is preserved without being cut, recovery is quick.
Recently, doctors have also begun using "argon plasma coagulation," which burns off the growth using gas and electricity instead of cutting it out. A domestic study published in the journal Gastrointestinal Endoscopy of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy found that applying this method to growths smaller than 1 centimeter results in a low recurrence rate and is effective. It is particularly useful for elderly patients at high risk of bleeding or patients taking blood thinners.
Helicobacter Treatment Essential After Removal
Removing a gastric adenoma once does not mean it is over. Another can develop elsewhere on the stomach wall. To prevent recurrence, Helicobacter pylori bacteria must be eliminated after the endoscopic procedure.
Helicobacter pylori is the primary culprit in causing gastric cancer by triggering chronic inflammation in the stomach. Research has shown that people who received medication to eliminate Helicobacter pylori after having a gastric adenoma removed had a markedly lower incidence of gastric cancer than those who did not. Patients who have had an adenoma removed should be tested for the bacteria, and if the test is positive, they must take medication for one to two weeks to completely kill the bacteria.
Eating habits must also be corrected. Salt erodes the stomach wall, making it easier for carcinogens to penetrate. Salty foods such as stews and salted seafood, as well as burnt foods, should be avoided. Tobacco and alcohol also significantly increase the risk of developing gastric cancer.
"There are patients who see 'gastric adenoma' on their health screening results and dismiss it as insignificant, only to return a few years later with gastric cancer," specialists said. "If diagnosed with an adenoma, patients should not delay and should immediately visit a gastroenterology department to have it removed by endoscopy." Gastric adenoma can be completely cured with endoscopy alone if detected early, but if neglected, it can require stomach resection and chemotherapy.
