title: A Critical Approach to Clinical Biochemistry of Chromogranin A.
abstract: Chromogranin A (CGA) is a member of the granin family of proteins which are widespread in endocrine, neuroendocrine, peripheral, and central nervous tissues, where they are typically found in secretory granules. It is well accepted that CGA cooperates to regulate synthesis and secretion of these various granule signaling molecules.Because of its ubiquitous distribution within neuroendocrine tissues, CGA can be a useful diagnostic marker for neuroendocrine neoplasms, including carcinoids, pheochromocytomas, neuroblastomas, medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC), some pituitary tumors, functioning and nonfunctioning islet cell tumors and other amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) tumors. It is also useful as a prognostic marker for detection of recurrence and monitoring of response to different treatments. As other tumor markers, it is imperative to know its physiology and pathophysiology, its sensitivity and specificity in different neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), and carefully integrate these data with the clinical data of the single patient, to maximize its diagnostic/prognostic index.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, UCSC - Catholic University of Rome, Gemelli Hospital 8, Largo Gemelli, 00168, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bottoni
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, UCSC - Catholic University of Rome, Gemelli Hospital 8, Largo Gemelli, 00168, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Michele
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, UCSC - Catholic University of Rome, Gemelli Hospital 8, Largo Gemelli, 00168, Rome, Italy. r.scatena@rm.unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scatena
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053379:Chromogranin A
keywords: Amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) tumors; Androgen deprivation therapy; Carcinoids; Catestatin; Chromacin; Chromofungin; GE25; Hook effect; Medullary thyroid carcinomas; Methods; Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2; Neuroblastomas; Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs); Pancreastatin; Parastatin; Pheochromocytomas; Serpinin; Vasostatin I; Vasostatin II; WE14