title: Chromogranin A: an additional tumor marker for postoperative recurrence and metastases of medullary thyroid carcinomas?
abstract: In this study, plasma concentrations of chromogranin A, calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were measured in 40 healthy volunteers as well as in 129 patients with recurrences and/or metastases of neuroendocrine tumors and of medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTCs). A double antibody assay was employed using polyclonal rabbit antibodies to a C-terminal fragment of the protein for detection of human chromogranin A. Using ROC analysis, a cutoff at 22 U/l chromogranin A was calculated. In patients with neuroendocrine tumours, much higher serum concentrations of chromogranin A than for patients with MTC (80% vs. 46%) were measured. The following sensitivities were found: chromogranin A; 46%, calcitonin 100%, CEA 52%. Furthermore, the mean values of chromogranin A concentrations correlated with the tumour mass and/or number of metastases in MTC and neuroendocrine tumours. Evaluation of follow-up studies remains to be completed; however, preliminary results showed similarities regarding the behaviour of chromogranin A and calcitonin. Despite the findings of this study, the observations could not confirm chromogranin A as a reliable marker for metastazing or recurrent MTC.
authors.affiliation: Department for Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Carl Custav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Germany. franke@res.urz.tu-dresden.de
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pinkert
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Runge
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bredow
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wunderlich
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C506150:CHGA protein, human; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins