Case report: multiple duodenal gastrinomas demonstrated with spiral CT

Resolved and unresolved controversies in the surgical management of patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

OBJECTIVE

Highlight unresolved controversies in the management of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES).

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

Recent studies have resolved some of the previous controversies including the surgical cure rate in patients with and without Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia-type1 (MEN1), the biological behavior of duodenal and pancreatic gastrinomas, role of imaging studies to localize tumor, and gastrectomy to manage acid output.

METHODS

Review of the literature based on computer searches in Index Medicus, Pubmed and Ovid.

RESULTS

Current controversies as identified in the literature include the role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), surgery in ZES patients with MEN1, pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure), lymph node primary gastrinoma, parietal cell vagotomy, reoperation and surgery for metastatic tumor, and the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques to localize and remove gastrinoma.

CONCLUSIONS

It is hoped that future studies will focus on these issues to improve the surgical management of ZES patients.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: a prospective study of 107 cases and comparison with 1009 cases from the literature

In patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), the most common functional pancreatic endocrine tumor (PET) syndrome is Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES). ZES has been well studied in its sporadic form (that is, without MEN1); however, there are limited data on patients with MEN1 and ZES (MEN1/ZES), and the long-term natural history is largely unknown. To address this issue we report the results of a prospective long-term National Institutes of Health (NIH) study of 107 MEN1/ZES patients and compare our results with those of 1009 MEN1/ZES patients in 278 case reports and small series in the literature. Patients were clinically, radiologically, and biochemically evaluated yearly for all MEN1 manifestations (mean follow-up, 10 yr; range, 0.1-31 yr). Compared with patients from the literature, the NIH MEN1/ZES patients more frequently had pituitary (60%) and adrenal (45%) disease and carcinoid tumors (30%), but had equal frequency of hyperparathyroidism (94%), thyroid disease (6%), or lipomas (5%). Twenty-five percent of both the NIH and the literature patients lacked a family history of MEN1; ZES was the initial clinical manifestation of MEN1 in 40%. ZES onset preceded the diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism in 45%. However, ZES was rarely (8%) the only initial manifestation of MEN1 if careful testing was done. ZES occurred before age 40 years in 50%-60% of the current patients, in contrast to older studies. The diagnosis of ZES is delayed 3-5 years from its onset and is delayed as long as in sporadic ZES cases. Pituitary disease and carcinoid tumors (gastric > bronchial, thymic) are more frequent than generally reported, whereas a second functional PET is uncommon. In patients with MEN1/ZES without a family history of MEN1, the MEN1 manifestations are not as severe. This study shows that MEN1/ZES patients differ in many aspects from those commonly reported in older studies involving few MEN1/ZES patients. In this study we have identified a number of important clinical and laboratory features of MEN1/ZES that were not previously appreciated, which should contribute to earlier diagnosis and improve both short- and long-term management.