Gastrinomas Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Common symptoms of gastrinomas are:
1. Stomach ulcer symptoms such as heartburn, sour stomach, and nausea
2. Weight loss that is unintended
3. Feeling weak
4. Diarrhea
5. Tiredness
6. Abdominal Pain
7. Vomiting
8. Tiredness
Doctors will do a study if gastrinomas are suspected on the gastrin levels. He or she will want to find out what the response is to secretin, a hormone. The blood testing will involve the person in a fasting state for accuracy of the basal acid output. If this equals greater than 10 mEq/h, the acid levels are too high.
Once the doctor can confirm a diagnosis, they will need to find out where your tumor is. One of the common tests to see where the tumor is would be an MRI. An MRI can tell the location of most any tumor and the size. Along with the that test, an upper endoscopy may be done where the person is sedated as the doctor looks inside with the endoscope, determining the tumor size and location as well.
Treatment for gastrinomas involve several things that are done. Part of the treatment regime is to prescribe proton pump inhibitors. These drug types are most effective for the suppression of acids in the stomach. They are also known as ulcer healing medications. Prilosec is an example of a proton pump inhibitor. These agents will attach themselves to the pump of parietal cells, which in turn inhibit hydrogen secretions that cause ulcer pains.
H-2 receptor antagonists are usually part of the plan as well. The dosage of these drugs is usually higher than that of proton-pump inhibitors. One example of such a drug is Ranitidine. These drugs block histamine secretion of the H2 receptor that is within gastric cells. As a result, the gastric acid levels are reduced.
Chemotherapy will need to be given for persons that are showing metastatic disease, unless the mestastic disease is into the lymph nodes. Chemotherapy has been known to decrease the tumor size of gastrinomas to a large degree in some people, and thereby symptoms show great improvement.
Surgery can be done on gastrinomas that have not metastasized and the removal of these tumors has been very successful, without any recurrence.
Published by Jennifer Kirkman
I am a former piano teacher of 25 years until I became burned out and had an ebay career along with other web pursuits. I was born and raised in Florida where I have lived my entire life. View profile
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