What is Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome?

The syndrome of Zollinger-Ellison is a rare enough disease characterized by the presence of a so-called gastrinoma. Gastrinoma is a malignant tumor that is formed from the cells of the pancreas and is located, as a rule, in the tail or in the region of the head of this gland. In rare cases, the tumor can be localized in the spleen, liver and other organs. The syndrome of Zollinger-Ellison is considered a very dangerous disease, as in the diagnosis at later stages of development, treatment is almost impossible.

The Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and its causes . As already mentioned, the main cause of the development of such a disease is a pancreatic tumor. Such formation is very specific, since it produces huge amounts of gastrin. This substance, in turn, stimulates the secretion of gastric acid. Increased acidity causes the formation of gastric ulcers, which do not lend themselves to ordinary, antiulcer treatment.

As for the causes of the appearance of the tumor itself, the mechanisms are not yet fully understood. It is believed that there is a factor of genetic predisposition. Nevertheless, accurate data on the growth and development of a malignant tumor have not been clarified.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: symptoms . At the initial stages of development, the symptoms of the disease are almost completely absent. The only symptom is persistent diarrhea caused by increased release of stomach acid.

With further development of the disease, the formation of ulcers begins, and they are located in completely uncharacteristic places. Along with this, there are also severe pains, which are not so easy to remove as with an ordinary stomach ulcer. Sometimes ulcers can spread to the esophagus and intestines.

Zollmger-Ellison Syndrome: Diagnosis . In the presence of persistent diarrhea, or severe pain in the abdominal cavity, you should seek help from an experienced doctor. It is worthwhile to understand that the diagnosis of such a disease is very complicated and involves a lot of analyzes and studies.

For example, a gastroenterological examination is performed, which allows to identify the presence of ulcers, as well as to determine their location. In addition, you also need to pass blood tests. With a similar disease in the stool, you can often find fat, so the analysis of stool is also mandatory.

In order to prescribe the right treatment it is necessary to find and examine gastrinoma, which in most cases has very small dimensions. To this end, use the methods of X-ray examinations, as well as a computer tomogram. In the same way, you can detect the presence of metastases, which are usually located in the tissues of the spleen, liver and lymph nodes.

The most reliable method of diagnosis is an angiogram of the hepatic vein, through which blood is collected for analysis. It is this method that allows you to assess the level of gastrin in the blood. Unfortunately, such a study requires a lot of practice and skill of a doctor, so it is not implemented in every clinic.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: treatment . The methods of treatment for this kind of disease can be both conservative and surgical. In the early stages of the disease, the patient is prescribed drugs that inhibit the release of gastric acid and block the action of gastrin.

If the tumor is single, the patient may be prescribed a surgical treatment for the removal of malignant formation. In some, most severe cases, doctors prescribe a complete removal of the stomach.

In the event that the tumor has already metastasized throughout the body, removing it will not solve anything. Such cases in medical practice in almost 60% result in a fatal outcome.