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Atlas of Thyroid and Neuroendocrine Tumor Markers pp 223–234Cite as

Circulating Markers in Neuroendocrine Tumors

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Abstract

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a group of heterogeneous neoplasm derived from cells throughout the nervous and endocrine systems with different biological behavior, clinical presentation, and course. They are characterized by the hypersecretion of several bioamines and peptides which may serve as biomarker. In patients affected by NETs, circulating marker can offer relevant clinical information concerning diagnosis, support of other investigative modalities, demonstration of failure/efficacy of therapy, and indicator of prognosis.

The chromogranin A (CgA), a member of the granin family of acid proteins, is the most relevant pan-endocrine marker of both nonfunctioning and functioning NETs. It is present in the secretory granule of a wide variety of endocrine and neuroendocrine cells. Patients with NETs originating from the midgut may suffer of functional symptoms due to the secretion of vasoactive products and, particularly, of serotonin and neurokine A (NKA). Furthermore approximately 10–20% of NETs present with an associated endocrine syndrome. They include tumors that secrete insulin (insulinoma) and gastrin (gastrinoma) but more rarely also vasointestinal peptide (VIPoma), glucagon (glucagonoma), and catecholamines (pheochromocytoma). In these cases, a range of specific peptide hormones may also be used as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In this review, we analyze aspects of the structures, biochemical properties, and clinical importance of general and specific biomarker of NETs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Nuclear Medicine and Special Endocrinology, Fondazione IRCSS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy

    Ettore Seregni & Alice Lorenzoni

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  1. Ettore Seregni
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  2. Alice Lorenzoni
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Correspondence to Ettore Seregni .

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  1. Nuclear Medicine and Thyroid Centre, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland

    Luca Giovanella

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Seregni, E., Lorenzoni, A. (2018). Circulating Markers in Neuroendocrine Tumors. In: Giovanella, L. (eds) Atlas of Thyroid and Neuroendocrine Tumor Markers. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62506-5_15

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