title: Zollinger-Ellison syndrome associated with neurofibromatosis type 1: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurofibromatosis type 1 is an autosomal dominant neurocutaneous disorder with characteristic features of skin and central nervous system involvement. Gastrointestinal involvement is rare, but the risk of malignancy development is considerable. Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is caused by gastrin-secreting tumors called gastrinomas. Correct diagnosis is often difficult, and curative treatment can only be achieved surgically.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 41-year-old female affected by neurofibromatosis type 1 presented with a history of recurrent epigastric soreness, diarrhea, and relapsing chronic duodenal ulcer. Her serum fasting gastrin level was over 1000 pg/mL. An abdominal CT scan revealed a 3 x 2-cm, well-enhanced mass adjacent to the duodenal loop. She was not associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. Operative resection was performed and gastrinoma was diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining. The serum gastrin level decreased to 99.1 pg/mL after surgery, and symptoms and endoscopic findings completely resolved without recurrences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gastrinoma is difficult to detect even in the general population, and hence symptoms such as recurrent idiopathic peptic ulcer and diarrhea in neurofibromatosis type 1 patients should be accounted for as possibly contributing to Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam University Medical School, Hak-dong 8, Donggu, Gwangju, Korea. jadelook@chol.com
authors.forename: Wan-Sik
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yang-Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Jung-Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang-Hwan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young-Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Hyun-Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chol-Kyoon
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sung-Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jong-Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Rew
authors.forename: Sei-Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D015408:Gastrinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005755:Gastrins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015043:Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D005755:Gastrins; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit