A 44-year-old man with abdominal pain and diarrhea has a gastrinoma with high gastrin and acid secretion; what is the most definitive treatment to decrease risk for complications?

A 44-year-old man with abdominal pain and diarrhea has a gastrinoma with high gastrin and acid secretion; what is the most definitive treatment to decrease risk for complications?

• A. Medical therapy with proton pump inhibitors
• B. Endoscopic tumor ablation
• C. Surgical removal of the suspected tumor
• D. Radiation therapy

Answer: (C)

Gastrinomas cause excess gastrin, driving acid hypersecretion that leads to ulcers and diarrhea. The most definitive way to reduce these complications is to remove the tumor itself, if it can be surgically resected. Surgical removal eliminates the source of gastrin and can provide long-term control or cure, whereas acid-suppressing medications (like proton pump inhibitors) only treat the symptoms without addressing the underlying tumor. Endoscopic ablation and radiation aren’t curative for gastrinomas and don’t remove the gastrin-producing source.

Gastrinomas cause excess gastrin, driving acid hypersecretion that leads to ulcers and diarrhea. The most definitive way to reduce these complications is to remove the tumor itself, if it can be surgically resected. Surgical removal eliminates the source of gastrin and can provide long-term control or cure, whereas acid-suppressing medications (like proton pump inhibitors) only treat the symptoms without addressing the underlying tumor. Endoscopic ablation and radiation aren’t curative for gastrinomas and don’t remove the gastrin-producing source.