title: Chromogranin A as a valid marker in oncology: Clinical application or false hopes?
abstract: Chromogranin A, due to its primary expression throughout the neuroendocrine system, is a widely accepted biomarker for the assessment of neuro-endocrine tumors. It has been traditionally used in the management of patients with tumors of gastro-enteropancreatic origin. Lately, it has also been implicated in various conditions and diseases, both benign and malignant. However, the paucity of data of adequate strength, as well as its relation with common physiologic conditions and its interaction with commonly prescribed medications, limit its clinical use in only a narrow spectrum. Herein, we present a thorough review to the most frequent conditions where its levels are affected, focusing specifically on its potential use as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in oncology.
authors.affiliation: Stavros Gkolfinopoulos, Demetris Papamichael, Panteleimon Kountourakis, Department of Medical Oncology, BOC Oncology Center, 2006 Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gkolfinopoulos
authors.affiliation: Stavros Gkolfinopoulos, Demetris Papamichael, Panteleimon Kountourakis, Department of Medical Oncology, BOC Oncology Center, 2006 Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsapakidis
authors.affiliation: Stavros Gkolfinopoulos, Demetris Papamichael, Panteleimon Kountourakis, Department of Medical Oncology, BOC Oncology Center, 2006 Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.affiliation: Stavros Gkolfinopoulos, Demetris Papamichael, Panteleimon Kountourakis, Department of Medical Oncology, BOC Oncology Center, 2006 Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Demetris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papamichael
authors.affiliation: Stavros Gkolfinopoulos, Demetris Papamichael, Panteleimon Kountourakis, Department of Medical Oncology, BOC Oncology Center, 2006 Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Panteleimon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kountourakis
keywords: Biomarker; Cancer; Chromogranin A; Neuroendocrine tumors; Prognosis