HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (25) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Berruti, A Articles by Dogliotti, L Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Berruti, A Articles by Dogliotti, L

¹ Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Biologiche, Università di Torino, Italy, Prostate cancer unit: Oncologia Medica,
² Urologia,
³ Anatomica Patologica,
⁴ Medicina Interna, Azienda Ospedaliera San Luigi, Orbassano, Italy

(Requests for offprints should be addressed to L Dogliotti; Email: luigi.dogliotti{at}unito.it)

The presence of neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation in the context of predominantly exocrine prostate cancer may play a key role in androgen-independent tumor growth. The prognostic significance of plasma chromogranin A (CgA) was assessed in a series of consecutive prostate cancer patients with hormone-refractory disease.

One hundred and eight patients with newly diagnosed hormone-refractory prostate cancer entered the study. Plasma CgA levels and other biochemical parameters, such as serum prostate specific antigen, serum alkaline phosphatase, serum lactate dehydrogenase, serum albumin and hemoglobin concentration, were measured at baseline (i.e. when hormone refractoriness occurred) and their prognostic role was evaluated together with patient performance status, Gleason score (at diagnosis of prostate cancer) and the presence of visceral metastases. Furthermore, plasma CgA was prospectively evaluated in 50 patients undergoing chemotherapy.

At baseline, 45 patients (43.3%) showed elevated CgA values. Plasma CgA negatively correlated with survival, either in univariate analysis (P=0.008) or in multivariate analysis, after adjusting for previously mentioned prognostic parameters (P<0.05). In the patient subset undergoing chemotherapy, median CgA (range) values were 13.3 (3.0–141.0) U/l at baseline, 19.1 (3.0–486.0) U/l after 3 months, 20.8 (3.0–702.0) U/l after 6 months and 39.4 (3.0–414.0) U/l after 9 months (P<0.01). The corresponding supranormal rates were 17/50 (34%), 23/50 (46%), 26/50 (52%) and 34/50 (68%) respectively (P<0.005).

Elevated plasma CgA levels are frequently observed in prostate cancer patients with hormone-refractory disease and correlate with poor prognosis. NE differentiation in hormone-refractory patients is a time-dependent phenomenon and is not influenced by conventional antineoplastic treatments.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Zhang, T. Lavaux, A.-C. Voegeli, T. Lavigne, V. Castelain, N. Meyer, R. Sapin, D. Aunis, M.-H. Metz-Boutigue, and F. Schneider Prognostic Value of Chromogranin A at Admission in Critically Ill Patients: A Cohort Study in a Medical Intensive Care Unit Clin. Chem., September 1, 2008; 54(9): 1497 - 1503. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Alessandro, G. Vincenzo, A. G. A. Maria, S. Stefano, G. Alessandro, M. Salvatore, T. Vincenzo, and D. S. Franco Chromogranin A and biochemical progression-free survival in prostate adenocarcinomas submitted to radical prostatectomy Endocr. Relat. Cancer, September 1, 2007; 14(3): 625 - 632. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]