Plasma Progastrin-Releasing Peptide and Chromogranin A Assays for Diagnosing and Monitoring Lung Well-Differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Brief Report

Benjamin Nisman, Kira Oleinikov, Hovav Nechushtan, Ofra Maimon, Karine Atlan, Nir Peled, David Gross, Tamar Peretz, Amichay Meirovitz, Simona Grozinsky-Glasberg

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    1 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Introduction: The use of chromogranin A (CGA) as a circulating biomarker in lung carcinoids (LCs) is limited by low specificity and sensitivity. This study aimed to evaluate plasma progastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRPp) as an alternative to plasma CGA (CGAp), for the diagnosis and follow-up of LC. Methods: ProGRPp and CGAp concentrations were measured in 107 patients with LC and 105 patients with benign lung disease (BLD). Results: ProGRPp distinguished patients with LC with active disease in the pretreatment (n = 43) and post-treatment (n = 43) groups from those with BLD: area under the curve for both 0.864 (p < 0.0001); sensitivity 67.4% and 58.1%, respectively; specificity 96.2%; at 64 pg/mL cutoff. CGAp failed to differentiate both LC groups from those with BLD: area under the curve 0.579 and 0.526 (for both p > 0.1); sensitivity 34.9% and 25.6%, respectively; specificity 73.3%; at 104 ng/mL cutoff. Only ProGRPp correlated with the Ki67 proliferation index (r = 0.40, p < 0.001) and was associated with mitotic count (p = 0.025), stage (p = 0.018), grade (p = 0.019), and the expression of thyroid transcription factor-1 (p = 0.005). ProGRPp had a high sensitivity (92.3%) in LC with diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia. Abnormal postoperative ProGRPp level was associated with residual disease (p = 0.029). The changes in ProGRPp level during treatment, a decrease greater than 30% and an increase greater than 8%, were associated with image-based outcomes, partial response and disease progression, respectively (p < 0.0001). CGAp did not reflect the disease course. Conclusions: ProGRPp was superior to CGAp in diagnosing LC with correlations concerning proliferation, grading, staging, diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia co-occurrence, and response to treatment. ProGRPp is an optimal emerging biomarker to be further evaluated.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)369-376
    Number of pages8
    JournalJournal of Thoracic Oncology
    Volume18
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 1 Mar 2023

    Keywords

    • Chromogranin A
    • Diagnosis
    • Follow-up disease
    • Lung carcinoids
    • Monitoring treatment
    • Plasma progastrin-releasing peptide

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Oncology
    • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

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