Limitations of Chromogranin A in clinical practice.
BACKGROUND
Usefulness of circulating Chromogranin A (CgA) for the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors (NEN) is controversial. The aim of the present study was to assess the actual role of this marker as diagnostic tool.


METHODS
Serum blood samples were obtained from 42 subjects affected with NEN, 120 subjects affected with non-endocrine neoplasias (non-NEN) and 100 non-neoplastic subjects affected with benign nodular goitre (NNG). Determination of CgA was performed by means of immunoradiometric assay.


RESULTS
The CgA levels among NEN-patients were not significantly different from NNG and non-NEN subjects. The Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis failed to identify a feasible cut-off value for the differential diagnosis between NEN and the other conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum CgA is not helpful for the first-line diagnosis of NEN.
Department of Molecular and Clinical Endocrinology and Oncology, Federico II University of Naples, Italy.
Vincenzo
V
Marotta
Vincenzo
V
Nuzzo
Teresa
T
Ferrara
Alfonso
A
Zuccoli
Milena
M
Masone
Lorenzo
L
Nocerino
Michela
M
Del Prete
Francesca
F
Marciello
Valeria
V
Ramundo
Gaetano
G
Lombardi
Mario
M
Vitale
Annamaria
A
Colao
Antongiulio
A
Faggiano
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000097:blood*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012372:ROC Curve
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053379:Chromogranin A