Serum Chromogranin Level in Gastrointestinal, Pancreas, and Liver Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Brief Report

Background: Chromogranin is a marker that can be detected in the tissue of the neuroendocrine tumors (NET) by immunohistochemistry and as a biomarker for the diagnosis and follow-up of NET. In this study, we evaluated the correlation of prognostic characteristics of NETs (Ki۶۷, location, and size) with the chromogranin level.Method: In this case-control study, we measured the serum level of chromogranin in ۵۰ cases of NETs from different locations of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and pancreas as well as ۳۰ healthy individuals for one year (۲۰۱۶). The correlation of this level was evaluated with Ki۶۷, size, and location of the tumors (main prognostic predictors of NETs).Results: The level of chromogranin in the above-mentioned ۸۰ tumoral and healthy cases was ۳۷ to ۲۵۸۵ ng/ml (۲۴۲.۳±۴۳۹.۴). The level of chromogranin in NETs and normal cases was ۳۲۶.۳±۵۲۵.۳ and ۵۱.۵±۱۶.۷, respectively. This level showed a statistically significant correlation with the Ki۶۷ percentage and the tumor grade (P-value <۰.۰۵). There was no correlation between size and chromogranin level, but the highest level was detected in liver NETs. The cut-off level of ۶۱.۲ ng/ml correlated with the presence of NET with a sensitivity of ۸۰% and specificity of ۷۰%.Conclusion: Chromogranin level can be used as a prognostic biomarker that is correlated with the grade of NETs and very high levels of this marker can be indicative of liver involvement. The cut-off level of ۶۱.۲ ng/ml can be considered as one of the predictors of the NET in the gastrointestinal, liver, or pancreas.