title: Diagnostic pitfalls in digestive neuroendocrine tumours.
abstract: Gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP NET) represent a rare and highly heterogeneous entity that often is revealed by vague and non-specific symptoms, leading to a delayed diagnosis. Here we will review some of the most regularly observed false positive and false negative cases and provide clues to recognize and manage them properly. Particularly, the value of chromogranin-A as a serum tumour marker and Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy as an imaging test, are reviewed. Indeed, chromogranin-A and other hormones, such as gastrin, as well as urinary 5-hydroxy-indolic acetic acid (5-HIAA) are often tested to diagnose NET without appraising the clinical situation, leading to extensive work-up on false bases. On the other hand, some tests are performed in situations where they do not add additional information (e.g. 5-HIAA in pancreatic or rectal NET) because invariably negative. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy is an expensive examination, still not reimbursed in Belgium, for which indications must be carefully assessed, knowing its specificity and sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels. Ivan.Borbath@uclouvain.be
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Borbath
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jamar
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Delaunoit
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Demetter
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Demolin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hendlisz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pattyn
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roeyen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Cutsem
authors.forename: Ph
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Hootegem
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Van Laethem
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verslype
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pauwels
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor