Gastrins and gastrinomas.

The past 20 years have seen gastrin attain true hormonal status. Its structure has been characterized, it has been synthesized, radioimmunoassays for its measurement in blood and tissues have been developed and its physiology and metabolism elucidated. Of much interest to clinicians has been the association between gastrin and tumours of the pancreas (gastrinomas) and atrophic gastritis. The advent of gastrin measurement has facilitated the diagnosis of gastrinoma and the availability of powerful acid suppressants has altered the therapy of gastrinoma.