Plasma chromogranin A levels predict survival and tumor response in patients with advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Anticancer Res. 2014 Oct;34(10):5661-9.

Abstract

Aim: To correlate the baseline and change of chromogranin A (CgA) levels with patient survival and tumor response in Asian patients with advanced gastro-enteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs).

Patients and methods: Sixty patients with advanced GEP-NET treated in a medical center between April 2010 and April 2013 were enrolled retrospectively. Plasma CgA level was analyzed for correlation with the patient's clinical outcome and tumor response.

Results: Multivariate analysis showed that independent favorable prognostic factors for overall survival were: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Groups performance score 0-1, World Health Organization tumor grade 1-2, single organ metastasis and less than twice the upper normal range of baseline CgA levels. Percentage changes in paired CgA tests (ΔCgA) of more than 17% can predict partial response or stable disease from progressive disease with 91.2% sensitivity and 82.9% specificity.

Conclusion: Baseline plasma CgA levels predicted overall survival and ΔCgA predicted treatment response in Asian patients with GEP-NETs.

Keywords: Neuroendocrine tumor; biomarker; chromogranin A; gastroenteropancreatic; tumor response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Area Under Curve
  • Chromogranin A / blood*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Neoplasms / blood*
  • Intestinal Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Intestinal Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Intestinal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Neoplasm Grading
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors / blood*
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors / drug therapy
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors / mortality*
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors / pathology
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / blood*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • ROC Curve
  • Stomach Neoplasms / blood*
  • Stomach Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Stomach Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Stomach Neoplasms / pathology
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Chromogranin A

Supplementary concepts

  • Gastro-enteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor