Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome

Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome – General Information

Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome is a complex condition which is characterized by the fact that one or more tumors develop in the duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine, or in the pancreas. These types of tumors, which are generally known as gastrinomas, contain large quantities of gastrin, a hormone which determines the stomach to produce a high quantity of acid. An extra quantity of acid can result in the appearance and development of peptic ulcers. The ulcers which characterize this disorder are quite different from the other types, as they appear in a large number, they affect unusual parts of the intestine or the stomach and they are extremely resistant to medicines. In addition, in most of the cases, these ulcers reappear after the treatment.

The good part about Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome is the fact that it is a rare disorder, which affects about one person in a million; it can affect people at any age, but the reports have shown that is it more common in the case of older people. The treatment for this disorder usually consists of the administration of certain drugs to improve the patient’s condition and to heal the ulcer, as far as possible; however, in more severe cases, the doctor can choose to perform a surgery in order to remove the tumors. The exact cause for the appearance of Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome is yet unknown, but the signs and symptoms which characterize this disease are easy to identify. The tumors which appear can sometimes be malignant (cancerous).

Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome - Symptoms

In some severe cases, the tumors which characterize this disorder can also affect other organs, apart from the pancreas and the duodenum. Some multiple tumors can affect the parathyroid glands or the pituitary glands, making the disease even more serious and harder to treat. The signs and symptoms which appear in the case of Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome differ a lot, considering which organ they affect and how the tumors evolve. However, there are some common signs and symptoms which a patient may experience: diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, discomfort in the upper abdomen, aching in the upper abdomen, a feeling of burning in the upper abdomen, gnawing in the upper abdomen, weight loss and bleeding in the digestive tract. At first, these signs and symptoms can be confounded with those which appear in the case of a regular ulcer, but in time they become more and more severe. Another thing which differentiates the symptoms which characterize this disease from those which appear in the case of an ulcer is the fact that they are persistent and they do not disappear, not even temporarily. 

If you notice the appearance of one or more of the signs and symptoms presented above, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible in order to obtain a sure diagnosis and to find out whether you suffer from Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome or not. You should not start taking any medicines before consulting a doctor, as they can only worsen your condition; in addition, sometimes the drugs can mask the symptoms, while the disease continues to evolve.

Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome – Treatment

In order to obtain all the information he needs for establishing a sure diagnosis, your doctor will probably ask some questions about your medical history and your general health condition. In addition, he will need a complete and exact description of the signs and symptoms which you experience. Apart from this information, your doctor will probably recommend you one or more of the following tests: a blood test, a gastrointestinal endoscopy or an endoscopic ultrasound. The blood test can provide important information about the level of gastrin in the body; a high level of gastrin may indicate the presence of a tumor in the duodenum or the pancreas. The gastrointestinal endoscopy consists in the insertion of a flexible and thin tube through the throat in the stomach and the duodenum; this way, the doctor can collect a small sample of tissue in order to analyze it and detect the possible presence of a tumor. Other tests which can be performed in order to determine whether a person suffers from Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome or not are the following: a nuclear scan, an ultrasound imaging, a magnetic resonance imaging or a computerized tomography.

After the doctor obtains all the information and established a diagnosis, he will choose the best way of treating Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome. The treatment is administrated firstly in order to eliminate the tumors and then to treat the ulcers. The treatment of the tumors which appear in the case of Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome consists of a surgery, performed in order to remove the tumors. However, this is quite a risky intervention as the tumors are extremely small and they are difficult to locate. If the doctor considers that a surgery to remove all the small tumors is too risky, he may recommend one of the following procedures: an embolization (which consists of the interruption of the blood flow to the tumor), a radio frequency ablation (which consists of the usage of heat in order to destroy the cancerous cells), a debulking (which consists of the removal of as much as possible of the tumor), some drugs injections in order to improve the symptoms or chemotherapy, in order to reduce the tumor growth.

After the treatment for the tumors is administrated, the doctor will start to treat the ulcers which characterize the Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome. The most common way of treating the excessive production of acid is the administration of certain drugs. The most effective medicines for this are the proton pump inhibitors, which prove useful in most of the cases. The acid blockers can also be used in order to reduce the quantity of acid which is released in the digestive tract. In the case of a more dangerous ulcer, the doctor can recommend a surgery in order to stop the bleeding, to close up a possible perforation made by the ulcer in the duodenum or in the stomach or to relieve an obstruction which was made by an ulcer. The most important thing in the case of those who suffer from Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome is how they change their life-style after the treatment.