title: Impact of chromogranin A measurement in the work-up of neuroendocrine tumors.
abstract: Since the development of the first immunoassay for circulating chromogranin A in 1984, a lot of studies have evaluated its clinical impact in neuroendocrine tumors. Initially studied in pheochromocytoma patients, the clinical impact of chromogranin A has rapidly extended to most neuroendocrine tumours, sometimes in combination with other eutopic or ectopic secretions. In our experience, CgA demonstrates a variable sensitivity between NET primary and a high specificity. Our results suggest that CgA should be routinely screened in foregut-derived NET and abandoned in the routine screening of medullary thyroid carcinoma. In addition, in phaeochromocytoma and ileum-NET patients, CgA demonstrates a comparable sensitivity with urinary reference markers and its impact on the follow-up will form a key point when recommending routine screening. Both tumor burden and secretory activity should be taken into account when interpreting CgA results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Tumors, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France. baudin@igr.fr
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baudin
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bidart
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bachelot
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ducreux
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruffié
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlumberger
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins