Chromogranin A: A Valuable Serum Diagnostic Marker for Non-Insulinoma Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Pancreas in a Chinese Population

BACKGROUND Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (P-NETs) are uncommon neoplasms, with few studies to date assessing serum biomarkers for the diagnosis of P-NETs. This study assessed the ability of serum chromogranin A (CgA) concentrations to distinguish P-NETs from other pancreatic lesions in a Chinese population and to determine the histological grades of P-NETs. MATERIAL AND METHODS This prospective study enrolled 165 patients, including 73 with proven P-NETs, 60 with malignant tumors of the pancreas, and 32 with benign lesions of the pancreas. Serum CgA concentrations were measured by ELISA. RESULTS Serum CgA concentrations were significantly higher in patients with P-NET than in patients with other pancreatic malignancies and benign lesions (P