Letter to the Editor
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 21, 2024; 30(43): 4677-4681
Published online Nov 21, 2024. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i43.4677
Improving early diagnosis of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 by assessing the gastrointestinal symptoms, hypercalcemia, and elevated serum gastrin
Tsvetelina Velikova, Velik Lazarov
Tsvetelina Velikova, Medical Faculty, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
Velik Lazarov, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Second Specialised Hospital for Obstetrics and Gynaecology “Sheynovo”, Sofia 1504, Bulgaria
Author contributions: Velikova T wrote the original draft; Lazarov V contributed to conceptualization, writing, reviewing, and editing; All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Supported by the European Union-Next Generation EU, through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Republic of Bulgaria, No. BG-RRP-2.004-0008.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare having no conflicts of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Velik Lazarov, MD, Chief Doctor, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Second Specialised Hospital for Obstetrics and Gynaecology “Sheynovo”, 19 ul. Sheinovo, Sofia 1504, Bulgaria. dr.v.lazarov@gmail.com
Received: August 17, 2024
Revised: September 29, 2024
Accepted: October 11, 2024
Published online: November 21, 2024
Processing time: 74 Days and 17.1 Hours
Abstract

Despite advancements in the field, early diagnosis of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) remains unachievable. This letter to the editor highlighted the importance of carefully assessing gastrointestinal symptoms, hypercalcemia, and elevated serum gastrin levels, as suggested by Yuan et al in their paper. They focused on a patient with recurrent abdominal pain and diarrhea whose diagnostic path led to establishing a MEN1 diagnosis within a year. This emphasized the need for clinicians to consider MEN1 in patients with similar presentations, particularly when gastrointestinal symptoms persist or recur after discontinuation of proton pump inhibitors, especially knowing that early recognition and intervention are crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Keywords: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1; Gastrointestinal symptoms; Hypercalcemia; Early detection; Early diagnosis

Core Tip: Early diagnosis of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is critical for effective management and improved outcomes. This letter underscored the importance of considering MEN1 in patients presenting with recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms, hypercalcemia, and elevated serum gastrin levels. The discussed case demonstrated how a comprehensive diagnostic approach, including imaging studies and blood tests, can lead to timely surgical intervention and accurate diagnosis. Clinicians should remain vigilant for MEN1 in patients with persistent or recurrent symptoms, facilitating early detection and treatment.