No one, not even doctors, know what causes Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, exactly, but the process by which the syndrome develops is traceable. A tumor called gastrinoma forms in the pancreas or in the lymph nodes or duodenum adjacent to the pancreas, an organ that is positioned below and behind the stomach and produces important enzymes to digest food. The pancreas produces other hormones as well including that which controls the production of stomach acid called gastrin.

The peak of digestion occurs when digestive juices from the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas mix in that area of the small intestine right next to the stomach called duodenum. Zollinger-Ellison syndrome involves cells which secrete excessive amounts of gastrin and prompt the stomach to produce large amounts of acid that lead to peptic ulcers.

12 Signs Indicating You Might Have Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome

Peptic ulcers, on the other hand, can be eliminated by surgery to stop the ulcers from bleeding, close the perforations or holes created by the ulcers in the duodenum or stomach walls, and relieve any obstruction which an ulcer may cause.

Peptic ulcers, as mentioned, may eventually lead to Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Here are signs to watch out for to determine whether you might have it:

• Diarrhea.
• Heartburn.
• Discomfort in the upper abdomen (burning, gnawing or aching).
• Abdominal pain.
• Vomiting.
• Nausea.
• Acid reflux.
• Decrease in or loss of appetite.
• Anemia.
• Unintended loss of weight.
• Weakness.
• Bleeding in the digestive tract.

Treatments to Inhibit Further Growth or Multiplication of Tumors

There is an almost certain likelihood that those cells that excessively secrete gastrin will eventually become tumors which can, in turn, become malignant or cancerous. Although the tumor might grow at a slow pace, the cancer can already spread to the liver or lymph nodes.

Removal of the tumors will require a very skilled surgeon because of their small size and the difficulty of location them. Surgery might be the solution to a single tumor but not for multiple tumors or those that have already spread. There are some cases, however, in which a doctor will recommend treatments to control further growth and/or multiplication of tumors such as:

• Removal of any tumors which may found their way into the liver.
• Embolization or cutting off the tumors’ blood supply radio frequency ablation or the use of heat to kill cancerous cells.
• Chemotherapy.
• Liver transplant.
• Injection of pharmacological drugs into the tumors to relieve malignant symptoms.
• Immediate treatment of excessive acid production with proton pump inhibitors. Powerful drugs that block the pumping action of cells to secrete acid such as Nexium, these inhibitors decrease the frequency of the acid reflux episodes by stopping the cells in the stomach’s lining from producing more acid than necessary.

Although Zollinger-Ellison syndrome or ZES is quite rare, it can occur in people within the 30 to 50 age bracket. ZES could also be hereditary and caused by multiple endocrine neoplasis type I or MEN I. A person who has this condition not only has pancreatic tumors but multiple tumors in the endocrine system as well. Afflicted individuals could also have tumors in their pituitary and parathyroid glands. In fact, around 25% of patients with gastrinoma have it as a symptom of MEN I.