Serious Symptoms Of Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is a condition where the duodenum and pancreas develop one or more tumors or gastrinomas that secrete excessive quantities of a hormone referred to as gastrin. The exact causes of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are not clear, but a connection with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 has been established in some patients. Diagnosis of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is made with the use of medical history, blood tests, endoscopic ultrasound, CT scans, MRIs, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and tissue biopsy. Treatment for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome focuses on addressing the tumor, excessive hormone levels, and the ulcers they produce. Methods of treatment may include tumor excision surgery, surgical debulking of the liver, tumor embolization, radiofrequency ablation, chemotherapy, liver transplantation, and proton pump inhibitors.

Several serious symptoms are indicative of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Get familiar with them now.

Abdominal Pain Or Discomfort

An individual affected by abdominal pain or discomfort may be affected by Zollinger-Ellison syndrome as the underlying cause of their symptoms. The two areas in the body affected by Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are in the upper abdomen. The duodenum is the junction where the stomach meets the small intestine, and the pancreas is a gland located just behind the stomach. Tumors that develop in these areas can cause numerous complications before hormones are added into the equation. Tumors can produce obstructions the keep food from moving through the digestive system properly and can clog ducts where important enzymes drain into the small intestine to assist with digestion. The tumors that develop in these parts of the body are called gastrinomas because they secrete too much gastrin. Gastrin is a hormone that tells the stomach to produce more stomach acid, so excessive amounts of gastrin lead to excessive amounts of gastric acid. Too much acid in the stomach causes diarrhea and ulcers responsible for causing the pain and discomfort in the abdominal region.

Continue reading to learn more about the symptoms of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome now.