It is a normal physiological phenomenon that the gastric mucosal glands decrease (that is, atrophy) with age. A certain extent and degree of atrophy of the gastric mucosa is inevitable. Moreover, atrophy is usually focal atrophy of the mucosa, not the whole stomach. Age-related mild-to-moderate atrophy is a normal accompaniment of aging like wrinkles on the skin and will not be completely reversed, nor does it need to be completely reversed. In cases of excessive (beyond age-related) atrophy, there is a degree of recovery accompanied by a reduction in inflammation once the cause is removed. Atrophic gastritis is an inflammation of the gastric mucosa accompanied by atrophy. The danger lies not in the atrophy but in the accompanying inflammation and the intestinal metaplasia and atypical hyperplasia that accompany the atrophy. It is the unstable intestinal metaplasia and atypical hyperplasia that increase the chances of malignancy. Intestinal metaplasia is a characteristic of the gastric mucosa repaired after damage to the gastric mucosa presenting intestinal mucosa, in a sense intestinal metaplasia is an adaptation phenomenon in the local environment (bile acids, inflammatory activity), i.e. mild small intestinal type metaplasia is not harmful. If the etiology (H. pylori, bile acids, inflammation, etc.) persists, damage occurs continuously, intestinal metaplasia worsens, or an unstable large intestinal type metaplasia is presented, there is a risk of further malignant transformation.