Alternative Names & Classifications:
Gastrinoma (CLINICAL), Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (CLINICAL)
Description
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is caused by a gastrin-secreting neuroendocrine tumor (gastrinoma). The excessive gastrin heavily stimulates the parietal cells of the stomach, causing them to pump out massive, unregulated volumes of gastric acid. This extreme hyperacidity overwhelms the protective mucosal lining of the upper gastrointestinal tract, leading to severe, recurrent peptic ulcer disease.