Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome or ZES is a rare medical condition in which one or more tumors are developed in the pancreas or duodenum (upper part of the small intestine). These tumors are referred to as gastrinomas. They are responsible for secreting high amounts of gastrin hormone which helps in digestion and breakdown of the consumed food. Due to the excessive release of this hormone, too much acid is produced, leading to various symptoms. The majority of these tumors are benign or non-cancerous. People suffering from ZES are more prone to developing peptic ulcers, i.e. painful sores in the digestive tract’s lining, due to high acidity.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of this disease are generally digestive, from which some of them are as follows:
- Diarrhea
- Acid refluxes and hormones
- Nausea and vomiting with or without blood
- Unintentional weight loss
- Abdominal pain
- Digestive tract bleeding
- Decreased appetite
- Ache, burn, gnawing sensation in the upper abdomen with discomfort
- Bloating and burping
Signs of this disease are often confused with the common peptic ulcers or gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. People suffering from ZES suffer more severe symptoms, hence aggressive therapies are recommended by the doctors, in comparison with patients suffering from other disorders.
It is quite essential to let the doctor know about over-the-counter medications that may have been taken by the patients for longer periods to reduce digestive acids. Though these medications may help in reducing the symptoms, they delay ZES diagnosis.
Causes
As per medical resources, researchers have been unable to identify the exact cause of the disease. It has been observed that in the majority of the cases, ZES develops for no obvious reason, although it may be associated with the inherited, tumor-causing condition known as multiple endocrine neoplasia type I, or MEN1. People who have blood relatives suffering from MEN1 are more prone to developing ZES.
The sequence through which ZES emerges in the body of the patient is known. It starts with the development of tumors or gastrinoma in the pancreas, duodenum, or lymph nodes adjoining the patient’s pancreas. These tumors are made up of cells that produce large amounts of gastrin, which entices the stomach to produce more acid, leading to peptic ulcers and even diarrhea. Sometimes, these tumors can be malignant or cancerous, which can spread to lymph nodes or liver, or somewhere else.
Treatment
Various treatments for ZES prescribed by doctors around the globe are as following:
- Proton pump inhibitors: Doctors may prescribe medicinal drugs as proton pump inhibitors which help in reducing the amount of produced gastric acids, which in turn assist in the healing of ulcers. The dosages prescribed to ZES patients are much higher for those who have ulcers without gastrinomas. Although, longer usage of such drugs can make the patient more prone towards getting spine, hip, or waist fractures, as they cross 50 years of age.
- Chemotherapy: In some cases, the doctors may recommend chemotherapy which will help in shrinking the tumors, or killing them through radiofrequency ablation. By this way growth of the tumors can be stopped.
- Surgery: Some patients require surgery for the treatment of the ZES for the removal of tumors. Although this process is complex, as the gastrinomas are very small, present in multiple numbers, and hard to locate. This treatment is entirely dependent upon the medical status and condition of the patient.
Disclaimer: The information in no way constitutes, or should be construed as medical advice. Nor is the above article an endorsement of any research findings discussed in the article an endorsement for any of the source publications.
