Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Introduction: Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is a rare disorder that causes tumors in the pancreas and duodenum and ulcers in the stomach and duodenum. ... more about Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: A rare disorder where excessive levels of the hormone gastrin are released into the stomach which increases stomach acidity which results in peptic ulcer development. A hormone secreting pancreatic or duodenal tumor is usually the cause. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is available below.

Symptoms of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

• Stomach ulcer symptoms
• Peptic ulcers - see symptoms of peptic ulcers
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Nausea

See full list of 37 symptoms of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Medical Textbooks Online about Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

• Blood gastrin levels
• Stomach x-rays
• Endoscopy

Read more about tests for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Wrongly Diagnosed with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome?

• Misdiagnosis of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
• Underlying causes of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (possibly wrongly diagnosed)

Causes of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Read more about causes of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

More information about causes of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome:

• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome as a complication caused by other conditions
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome as a symptom

Treatments for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

• Medications used to reduce stomach acid - see also treatment of peptic ulcers
  • Cimetidine
  • Ranitidine
  • Famotidine
  • Omeprazole

See full list of 8 treatments for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Videos for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Patient Surveys for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about the symptoms of your Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
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Reseach about Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Visit our research pages for current research about Zollinger-Ellison syndrome treatments.

Clinical Trials for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome include:

• The Use of Oral Omeprazole and Intravenous Pantoprazole in Patients With Hypersecretion of Gastric Acid - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Pantoprazole,Omeprazole
• Interferon and Octreotide to Treat Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome and Advanced Non-B Islet Cell Cancer - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Interferon
• Evaluating Patients With Abnormal Levels of Gastric Acid - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Esomeprazole In Patients With Gastric Acid Hypersecretory States Including Idiopathic Hypersecretion and Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Esomeprazole magnesium
• Treatment of Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome With Prevacid - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Lansoprazole (Prevacid)

See full list of 8 Clinical Trials for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Statistics for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

• Medical statistics for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
• Death and Mortality statistics for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
• Society statistics for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

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Article Excerpts about Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is a rare disorder that causes tumors in the pancreas and duodenum and ulcers in the stomach and duodenum. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach. It produces enzymes that break down fat, protein, and carbohydrates from food, and hormones like insulin that break down sugar. The duodenum is the top part of the small intestine.

The tumors are cancerous in 50 percent of cases. They secrete a substance called gastrin that causes the stomach to produce too much acid, which in turn causes the stomach and duodenal ulcers (peptic ulcers). The ulcers caused by Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are more painful and less responsive to treatment than ordinary peptic ulcers. (Source: excerpt from Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome: NIDDK)

Definitions of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome:

A gastrin-secreting tumor of the non-beta islet cells. It is usually located in the pancreas but is also found at other sites, as in the antrum of the stomach, hilus of the spleen, and regional lymph nodes. The presence of gastrinoma is one of three requirements to be met for identification of ZOLLINGER-ELLISON SYNDROME, which sometimes occurs in families with MULTIPLE ENDOCRINE NEOPLASIA TYPE 1 (MEN-1). Gastrinomas in patients with MEN-1 are usually diffuse in nature. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Syndrome consisting of intractable peptic ulceration with gastric hypersecretion and hyperacidity - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, or a subtype of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Zollinger-Ellison syndrome as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet