title: Chromogranin A is a reliable biomarker for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in an Asian population of patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the significance of plasma chromogranin A (CgA) levels in patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NET) in terms of disease status and treatment responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four GEP-NET patients comprising 15 disease-free patients and 29 patients with active disease, as well as 26 healthy participants were enrolled in this study between April 2010 and April 2011. Clinicopathological factors were collected and serial plasma CgA levels were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma CgA levels were significantly higher in GEP-NET patients with active disease than in disease-free patients (p = 0.011) or healthy participants (p = 0.001). No difference in CgA levels was observed in terms of primary tumor location, tumor grade, and functional status in patients with active disease. CgA values at 94 U/l distinguished healthy individuals or disease-free patients from patients with active disease. Sensitivity and specificity rates were 86 and 88%, respectively. CgA levels at 110 U/l differentiated patients without recurrence from those with recurrence, with a sensitivity rate of 100% and a specificity rate of 80%. Patients (5/5, 100%) with stable disease and who showed partial response after treatment had a more than 20% decrease in CgA levels compared with the baseline values. Patients (6/6, 100%) with progressive disease showed a less than 20% decrease or increase in CgA levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The plasma CgA level is a reliable biomarker for GEP-NET. We conclude that changes in CgA levels are associated with disease status and treatment responses.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, No. 5 Fushing St., Kweishan Shiang, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Wen-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Yu-Shin
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Jun-Te
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Jen-Shi
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chang-Hsien
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Tsann-Long
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Kun-Ming
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rau
authors.forename: Kun-Yun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Tse-Ching
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chien-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D011153:Population; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053379:Chromogranin A