title: Chromogranin A as a determinant of midgut carcinoid tumour volume.
abstract: Neuroendocrine (NE) tumours are characterized by their capacity to synthesize, store and release hormonal products. These substances are stored in neurosecretory vesicles together with chromogranin A (CgA). The concentration of plasma CgA in patients with NE tumours is thought to reflect the degree of NE differentiation, total tumour burden and effect of medical treatment. The aim of this study was to analyse the correlation between tumour weight and plasma CgA levels as well as the influence of treatment with a long-acting somatostatin analogue (octreotide) using nude mice with xenografted human ileal carcinoid tumours. There was a correlation between tumour weight and plasma CgA levels in all animals (p < 0.00001). In octreotide-treated mice, plasma CgA levels were significantly reduced versus untreated animals (p = 0.037). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that plasma CgA levels are closely correlated to tumour burden, and that plasma CgA is well suited for monitoring the clinical course and outcome of treatment in patients with NE tumours.
authors.affiliation: The Lundberg Laboratory for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE-413 45 Göteborg, Sweden. lars.kolby@surgery.gu.se
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kölby
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bernhardt
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Swärd
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Johanson
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahlman
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Forssell-Aronsson
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stridsberg
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wängberg
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nilsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000097:blood*; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007078:Ileal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C506150:CHGA protein, human; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; C506155:chromogranin A, mouse; D015282:Octreotide