Zollinger Ellison syndrome can make stomach acid rise, the liver

Gastric acid rises because ulcers are not only caused by GERD or gastritis. If there is a sore in your stomach, this condition can lead to Zollinger Ellison's syndrome which also makes stomach acid easily rise.

What is Zollinger Ellison syndrome?

Zollinger Ellison syndrome (ZES) is a rare digestive problem caused by the appearance of a tumor on the pancreas or in the duodenum (the top of the 12-finger intestine). These tumors are called gastrinomas, and they can be benign or malignant and have the potential to be cancerous.

No one knows for sure the cause of the gastinoma tumor growth that triggers Zollinger Ellison's syndrome. However, as many as 25-30% of gastrinoma cases are caused by an inherited genetic disorder called multiple neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1). MEN 1 mutations stimulate hormones that trigger tumor growth in the endocrine glands and intestines of the 12 fingers.

The appearance of a gastrinoma tumor will cause the production of the hormone gastrin to be excessive, thereby increasing the volume of gastric acid. Excess stomach acid over time will erode the lining of the stomach and cause sores. At least 90% of people with ZES have sores on the stomach or intestines of their 12 fingers.

The presence of injuries to the digestive organs makes people with ZES more prone to recurring ulcers than the general population.

This syndrome is more common in men aged 30-50 years.

Signs and symptoms of Zollinger Ellison's syndrome

In addition to stomach acid which is prone to rising, ZES generally causes stomach pain and diarrhea accompanied by the following symptoms:

Nausea
Gag; vomiting blood, in severe cases.
Weight loss drastically without cause,
Loss of appetite

How is Zollinger Ellison's syndrome treated?

Zollinger Ellison's syndrome is often mistaken for GERD. However, the digestive symptoms that arise from ZES are usually more severe than GERD so the treatment will be very different from GERD.

One of the main ways to treat Zollinger Ellison's syndrome is to reduce the amount of stomach acid and treat ulcers in the stomach with the use of a combination of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs, such as lansoprazole (Prevacid), Omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid), pantoprazole (Protonix), and rabeprazole. (Aciphex). In addition, Somatostatin analog drugs such as octreotide are also needed to suppress the production of the hormone gastrin to reduce the severity of symptoms.

If the case is severe, your doctor may recommend that you undergo surgical removal of the tumor to prevent it from progressing to stomach cancer. For tumors that are cancerous, chemotherapy or radiation therapy can be treated.