Which statement accurately describes Zollinger-Ellison syndrome?

• A. Extreme hyposecretion of gastrin in the stomach
• B. Extreme hypersecretion of gastrin in the stomach
• C. Increase in serum gastrin after secretin stimulation
• D. Decrease in serum gastrin after secretin stimulation

Answer: (C)

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is driven by a gastrin-secreting tumor that causes very high levels of gastrin in the blood, leading to excessive acid production and peptic ulcers. A key diagnostic feature is how gastrin responds to secretin. In normal people, secretin does not raise gastrin levels (and may even modestly suppress them). But gastrinoma cells respond paradoxically to secretin by releasing more gastrin. So, a rise in serum gastrin after secretin stimulation is the characteristic finding that best describes Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.