Limitations of Chromogranin A in Clinical Practice

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Introduction: Chromogranin-A (CgA) is the most accurate marker for the histological diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). However diagnostic usefulness of circulating CgA is controversial as several conditions, both neoplastic and non-neoplastic, may induce false positive increases of this marker.

Aim(s): To assess the diagnostic value of serum CgA as screening test for NETs.

Materials and methods: Serum blood samples were obtained from 42 subjects affected with NETs, 120 subjects affected with NONET and 100 healthy subjects with benign nodular goitre (NG) at the time of diagnosis. Determination of CgA was performed by means of IRMA. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to analyze the distribution of CgA levels. Kruskall-Wallis test was used to compare different groups. ROC analysis was performed in order to identify a cut-off value that could discriminate NET patients either from NONET or NG subjects.

Conference: 9th Annual ENETSConcerence (2012)

Presenting Author:

Authors: Marotta V, Nuzzo V, Ferrara T, Zuccoli A, Del Prete M,

Keywords: Chromogranin A, neuroendocrine tumor, false positive marker,