Zollinger-Ellinson Syndrome

Such a complex name actually belongs to a tumor. More precisely, the state of health in the presence of a tumor. The syndrome of Zollinger-Ellison is diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor, less often - the duodenum or stomach. Symptoms of this disease are very often confused with the common stomach ulcer, because of what the necessary treatment is not delivered in time. Knowing the specificity of the disease, you can avoid serious problems associated with it. About this and talk in the article.

Zollinger-Ellison disease

The main problem is that many patients have Zollinger-Ellison syndrome manifested by symptoms similar to ulcers . Therefore, both examinations and analyzes are conducted correspondingly. It is very important to understand that gastrinomas - tumors that occur in the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome - can in most cases be malignant. And in that case, you know, you can not linger. Although gastrinomas also increase in size quite slowly, they can start metastases to neighboring organs, exacerbating a common problem.

To date, it is customary to classify the disease as follows:

1. Single gastrinomas, most often located in the pancreas.
2. Multiple tumors can spread to the pancreas, and even through the abdominal cavity.

Hypergastemia can develop in the presence of tumors in the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, and is considered the main cause of the appearance of the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

The main symptoms of the disease

Very often in patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome against the background of the underlying disease, ulcer disease actually develops. Therefore, for the most part, the symptoms of ailments are similar. The main manifestations of the disease look like this:

1. The main symptom in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is strong, frequent and prolonged pain at the top of the abdomen.
2. Suspicion should cause frequent heartburn and an acid savor in the mouth, which appears after eructation.
3. The patient sharply loses weight.
4. Attention should be paid also to the character of the chair. Frequent diarrhea, copious stools are important symptoms of the syndrome.
5. Very often, in the syndrome of Zollinger-Ellison, reflux esophagitis develops, which causes constriction and deformation of the esophagus.
6. If the disease has passed into a neglected state, there may also be an increase in the liver.

Having found at least one of the above symptoms of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, you should hurry up to see a doctor. It is likely that suspicions are not justified, but superfluous surveys will not be in any case.

Treatment of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

To identify ulcers that appeared due to the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, you need to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis. This will help avoid a medical error and contribute to the appointment of a truly effective treatment.

The essence of the treatment of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is primarily to remove the tumor. In this case, after the operation, it is very important to check the condition of the affected and adjacent organs. It is necessary to be prepared for the fact that during the operation, metastases that depart from the tumor are often found, which is why no more than 30% of patients get cured completely.

Support for the body during the treatment (and sometimes throughout the rest of his life) can special drugs that reduce the amount of hydrochloric acid released.

Fortunately, the predictions for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome appear to be more positive than in other malignant tumors. Even in the presence of metastases, patients manage to recover and overcome the threshold of five-year survival.