Pune docs remove rare pancreatic tumour, cure young techie

Pune: A 27-year-old IT professional was diagnosed with a rare pancreatic tumour called gastrinoma after visits to different doctors could not give relief to her ailment

Pune: A 27-year-old IT professional was diagnosed with a rare pancreatic tumour called gastrinoma after visits to different doctors could not give relief to her ailment. She was suffering from severe abdominal pain and irregular bowel motions for four to five months.

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An endoscopy test found that she had ulcers in her stomach and her condition was called the Zollinger–Ellison syndrome. It is a rare digestive disorder that occurs one in every million people where the hormone gastrin is released in excessive amounts. The excessive hormone secretion leads to hyperacidity and stomach ulcerations. Surgical removal of gastrinoma is the only cure and early detection is challenging.

Doctors at Ruby Hall Clinic diagnosed her with this rare disorder that started digesting the inner lining of her stomach and intestines. A timely detection helped remove the tumour.

Dr Aditya Kulkarni, gastrointestinal oncosurgeon, who operated on the patient, said, “Stomach ulcers are common and usually heals after medication, unlike this case. We had to carry out an endoscopy and found many ulcers. Suspecting excessive acid secretion, we diagnosed it with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. A serum gastrin test confirmed our doubts as her gastrin levels were highly elevated.”

Gastrin is a hormone that helps in the breakdown of proteins in food and absorption of vitamins, it aids digestion. The tumour in the pancreas was releasing excessive amounts of gastrin resulting in excess acid and it was digesting the inner lining of the stomach.

Dr Kulkarni successfully removed the tumour in a four-hour surgery. Dr Kulkarni said, “The tumour was arising from the pancreas and close to the major blood vessels of the abdomen. Early detection was the key in the successful removal of the tumour. The patient did not need any chemotherapy or radiation. She is on regular follow-up now.”

Dr Girija Patil, oncologist from Noble hospital said, “Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is rarely reported in India. It is worrisome that young generation is coming up with this rare syndrome.”