What Does It Mean If I Have a Hard Lump in My Stomach/abdomen?

Reviewed by Suo Lee, MD

Internal Medicine

A hard lump in your stomach/abdomen could be a sign of a growth like a benign tumor, a cyst, or other changes in this area. It is important to have it checked by a doctor to find out exactly what it is.

Explanation

A hard lump in your stomach/abdomen might mean that there is a mass or growth in that area. Often, such lumps are caused by benign (non-cancerous) tumors, like a gastrointestinal stromal tumor or a fibrous tumor, which are growths that can sometimes form in the abdomen. In some cases, a lump could be a cyst—a small, fluid-filled sac—that might even develop after an injury or trauma to the abdomen, known as a mesenteric cyst. While many of these conditions are not dangerous, they can sometimes cause symptoms like pain, changes in how your stomach or bowels work, or even bleeding. Because there are several possible explanations for a hard lump in the abdomen, it’s important to get a proper evaluation from a doctor. They may use imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, to look at the lump closely and determine what type it is. Knowing exactly what is causing the lump will help your doctor decide whether it needs treatment or can simply be monitored over time.

(References)

Goh PMY, Lenzi JE. Benign tumors of the duodenum and stomach. In: Holzheimer RG, Mannick JA, editors. Surgical Treatment: Evidence-Based and Problem-Oriented. Munich: Zuckschwerdt; 2001. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK6948/
Falidas E, Mathioulakis S, Vlachos K, Pavlakis E, Anyfantakis G, Villias C. Traumatic mesenteric cyst after blunt abdominal trauma. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2011;2(6):159-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2011.03.006. Epub 2011 May 19. PMID: 22096714; PMCID: PMC3199619.
Bhambare MR, Pandya JS, Waghmare SB, Shetty TS. Gastrointestinal stromal tumour presenting as palpable abdominal mass: A rare entity. World J Gastrointest Surg. 2015 Jun 27;7(6):98-101. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v7.i6.98. PMID: 26131332; PMCID: PMC4478562.
Aldohuky W, Mohammed AA. Fibrous tumor of the stomach causing abdominal pain and melena: Case report with review of literature. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2019;65:97-101. doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2019.10.045. Epub 2019 Oct 31. PMID: 31704666; PMCID: PMC6920201.

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