GCP cannot be diagnosed by routine
endoscopic biopsy due to the submucosal
location. However, it can be detected as a
mass lesion in the stomach wall by US and
tomography. An endoscopic biopsy was not
performed in our patient because the gastric
mucosa over the mass was normal. On
endoscopy, it can be seen as a submucosal
mass pending gastric lumen or the polypoid
fold of the gastric wall. On EUS, it can be seen
as a cystic mass in the stomach wall.
There is not a standard preoperative
diagnostic or treatment protocol for GCP.
Mitomi et al (1998) mentioned that ultra
sound-guided percutaneous needle biopsy or
endo-ultrasound-guided needle biopsy can be
performed preoperatively for
histopathological examination. Definitive
diagnosis is usually made after resection of
the lesion. Also, frozen section can be
performed peroperatively. In order to avoid
unnecessary extensive surgery, a preoperative
diagnosis of such lesions is important.
There is no consensus about the treatment
because of the rarity of GCP. Xu et al (2011)
mentioned that unnecessary extensive
resections were performed in some patients
due to the difficulty of preoperative diagnosis.
Different types of surgeries were performed
ranging from submucosal excision to total
gastrectomy in a research study by Laretta et
al (2012).
Although GCP is a benign lesion, Mitomi et al
(1998) suggested that it has been a
precancerous lesion. Therefore, resection or
close follow-up is proposed after the diagnosis
is confirmed. The monitoring can be done
with computed tomography or magnetic
resonance imaging scan. The probable
indications for resection are complaints such