Abstract: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) a pathomorphologic change in which gastric mucosal epithelial cells are replaced by intestinal epithelial cells. IM is widely regarded as the precursor of gastric cancer (especially intestinal gastric cancer) and has attracted wide attention. In recent years, scholars at home and abroad have conducted a large number of studies on the organizational characteristics, pathogenic factors and mechanisms, detection, diagnosis and treatment of IM. This paper reviewed the research progress of IM in the above aspects, aiming to deepen the clinical understanding of IM, and provide reference for the monitoring and prevention of IM and early gastric cancer.