BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuZollinger-Ellison syndromeZ-E syndrome; GastrinomaZollinger-Ellison syndrome is a condition in which the body produces too much of the hormone gastrin. Most of the time, a small tumor (gastrinoma) in the pancreas or small intestine is the source of the extra gastrin in the blood. Causes Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is caused by tumors. These growths are most often found in the head of the pancreas and the upper small intestine. The tumors are called gastrinomas. High levels of gastrin cause production of too much stomach acid.Gastrinomas occur as single tumors or several tumors. One half to two thirds of single gastrinomas are cancerous (malignant) tumors. These tumors often spread to the liver and nearby lymph nodes.Many people with gastrinomas have several tumors as part of a condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia type I (MEN I). Tumors may develop in the pituitary gland (brain) and parathyroid gland (neck) as well as in the pancreas.Multiple endocrine neoplasia type IMultiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type I is a disease in which one or more of the endocrine glands are overactive or forms a tumor. It is passed do...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms Symptoms may include:Abdominal pain Abdominal painAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Diarrhea DiarrheaDiarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting blood (sometimes) Vomiting bloodVomiting blood is regurgitating (throwing up) contents of the stomach that contains blood. Vomited blood may appear bright red, dark red, or look lik...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Severe esophageal reflux (GERD) symptomsGERDGastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which the stomach contents leak backward from the stomach into the esophagus (food pipe). F...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Signs include ulcers in the stomach and small intestine. Exams and Tests Tests include:Abdominal CT scan Abdominal CT scanAn abdominal CT scan is an imaging method. This test uses x-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the belly area. CT stands for computed tomog...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Calcium infusion test Endoscopic ultrasound EndoscopicEndoscopy is a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera and light on the end of it. This instrument is called an...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exploratory surgery Gastrin blood level Gastrin blood levelThe gastrin blood test measures the amount of the hormone gastrin in blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Octreotide scan Secretin stimulation testSecretin stimulation testThe secretin stimulation test measures the ability of the pancreas to respond to a hormone called secretin. The small intestine produces secretin wh...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Drugs called proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, lansoprazole, and others) are used for treating this problem. These drugs reduce acid production by the stomach. This helps the ulcers in the stomach and small intestine heal. These medicines also relieve abdominal pain and diarrhea.Surgery to remove a single gastrinoma may be done if the tumors have not spread to other organs. Surgery on the stomach (gastrectomy) to control acid production is rarely needed. Outlook (Prognosis) The cure rate is low, even when it is found early and the tumor is removed. However, gastrinomas grow slowly. People with this condition may live for many years after the tumor is found. Acid-suppressing medicines work well to control the symptoms. Possible Complications Complications may include:Failure to locate the tumor during surgery Intestinal bleeding or hole (perforation) from ulcers in the stomach or duodenum DuodenumThe duodenum is the first part of the small intestine. It is located between the stomach and the middle part of the small intestine, or jejunum. Aft...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Severe diarrhea and weight loss Weight lossUnexplained weight loss is a decrease in body weight, when you did not try to lose the weight on your own. Many people gain and lose weight. Uninten...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Spread of the tumor to other organs When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you have severe abdominal pain that does not go away, especially if it occurs with diarrhea.Open ReferencesReferencesÖberg K. Neuroendocrine tumors and related disorders. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 45.Strosberg JR, Al-Toubah T. Neuroendocrine tumors. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 34.AllVideoImagesTogEndocrine glands - illustration Endocrine glands release hormones (chemical messengers) into the bloodstream to be transported to various organs and tissues throughout the body. For instance, the pancreas secretes insulin, which allows the body to regulate levels of sugar in the blood. The thyroid gets instructions from the pituitary to secrete hormones which determine the rate of metabolism in the body (the more hormone in the bloodstream, the faster the chemical activity; the less hormone, the slower the activity).Endocrine glandsillustrationEndocrine glands - illustration Endocrine glands release hormones (chemical messengers) into the bloodstream to be transported to various organs and tissues throughout the body. For instance, the pancreas secretes insulin, which allows the body to regulate levels of sugar in the blood. The thyroid gets instructions from the pituitary to secrete hormones which determine the rate of metabolism in the body (the more hormone in the bloodstream, the faster the chemical activity; the less hormone, the slower the activity).Endocrine glandsillustrationRelated Information Review Date: 11/2/2022 Reviewed By: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. 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Zollinger-Ellison syndromeZ-E syndrome; GastrinomaZollinger-Ellison syndrome is a condition in which the body produces too much of the hormone gastrin. Most of the time, a small tumor (gastrinoma) in the pancreas or small intestine is the source of the extra gastrin in the blood. Causes Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is caused by tumors. These growths are most often found in the head of the pancreas and the upper small intestine. The tumors are called gastrinomas. High levels of gastrin cause production of too much stomach acid.Gastrinomas occur as single tumors or several tumors. One half to two thirds of single gastrinomas are cancerous (malignant) tumors. These tumors often spread to the liver and nearby lymph nodes.Many people with gastrinomas have several tumors as part of a condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia type I (MEN I). Tumors may develop in the pituitary gland (brain) and parathyroid gland (neck) as well as in the pancreas.Multiple endocrine neoplasia type IMultiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type I is a disease in which one or more of the endocrine glands are overactive or forms a tumor. It is passed do...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms Symptoms may include:Abdominal pain Abdominal painAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Diarrhea DiarrheaDiarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting blood (sometimes) Vomiting bloodVomiting blood is regurgitating (throwing up) contents of the stomach that contains blood. Vomited blood may appear bright red, dark red, or look lik...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Severe esophageal reflux (GERD) symptomsGERDGastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which the stomach contents leak backward from the stomach into the esophagus (food pipe). F...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Signs include ulcers in the stomach and small intestine. Exams and Tests Tests include:Abdominal CT scan Abdominal CT scanAn abdominal CT scan is an imaging method. This test uses x-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the belly area. CT stands for computed tomog...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Calcium infusion test Endoscopic ultrasound EndoscopicEndoscopy is a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera and light on the end of it. This instrument is called an...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exploratory surgery Gastrin blood level Gastrin blood levelThe gastrin blood test measures the amount of the hormone gastrin in blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Octreotide scan Secretin stimulation testSecretin stimulation testThe secretin stimulation test measures the ability of the pancreas to respond to a hormone called secretin. The small intestine produces secretin wh...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Drugs called proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, lansoprazole, and others) are used for treating this problem. These drugs reduce acid production by the stomach. This helps the ulcers in the stomach and small intestine heal. These medicines also relieve abdominal pain and diarrhea.Surgery to remove a single gastrinoma may be done if the tumors have not spread to other organs. Surgery on the stomach (gastrectomy) to control acid production is rarely needed. Outlook (Prognosis) The cure rate is low, even when it is found early and the tumor is removed. However, gastrinomas grow slowly. People with this condition may live for many years after the tumor is found. Acid-suppressing medicines work well to control the symptoms. Possible Complications Complications may include:Failure to locate the tumor during surgery Intestinal bleeding or hole (perforation) from ulcers in the stomach or duodenum DuodenumThe duodenum is the first part of the small intestine. It is located between the stomach and the middle part of the small intestine, or jejunum. Aft...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Severe diarrhea and weight loss Weight lossUnexplained weight loss is a decrease in body weight, when you did not try to lose the weight on your own. Many people gain and lose weight. Uninten...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Spread of the tumor to other organs When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you have severe abdominal pain that does not go away, especially if it occurs with diarrhea.Open ReferencesReferencesÖberg K. Neuroendocrine tumors and related disorders. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 45.Strosberg JR, Al-Toubah T. Neuroendocrine tumors. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 34.