Giant hypertrophic gastritis is a stomach disorder marked by the excessive growth of the stomach lining, leading to low blood serum albumin levels due to albumin loss from the stomach. This condition is characterized by large stomach folds, increased mucus production, and low stomach acid secretion (hypochlorhydria). It often progresses to stomach cancer. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, swelling, poor appetite, and weight loss. The exact cause is unknown, though infections and genetic factors have been suggested, with some families showing a hereditary pattern. The enlargement of the stomach lining appears linked to the activation of a growth factor receptor in the stomach. Severe cases may require partial or full surgical removal of the stomach. Treatment with drugs targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor has shown promising results, reducing nausea and vomiting, increasing serum albumin levels, and improving stomach conditions. This disease is also known by various other names, such as giant hypertrophy of the gastric mucosa, hypertrophic hypoproteinemic gastropathy, Menetrier's disease, and more, named after the French physician Pierre E. Menetrier who first identified it in 1888.
