The Risk of Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia and Implications for Management

Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is a known precursor to gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). Although the true prevalence of GIM is not known, it is estimated that around 5% of patients in the United States who undergo upper endoscopy with biopsies have GIM. Understanding the risk factors for progression to GAC is integral for management of this condition. In this review article, we discuss risk factors for progression to GAC and the implications for the management of patients with GIM.