Neuroendocrine differentiation in carcinomas of the prostate: Do neuroendocrine serum markers reflect immunohistochemical findings?

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the correlation between the immunohistochemical findings and the serum markers for neuroendocrine (NE) cells in patients with carcinoma of the prostate. Preoperative serum values of chromogranin A (CgA), chromogranin B (CgB), pancreastatin (Pst), neuron‐specific enolase (NSE), and prostatic specific antigen (PSA) were determined in 22 patients. The tissue specimens were obtained by a palliative transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) because of urinary outflow obstruction. Immunohistochemistry was performed by using antibodies against CgA, CgB, NSE, serotonin, thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH), and somatostatin. Tumor cells with NE differentiation were found in 91% of the cases. No patient had elevated serum values of NSE, despite the presence of NSE‐positive tumor cells in 77% of the tumors. Neither did CgB in serum correlate with the immunohistochemical findings. Elevated serum values of CgA were found in 59% of patients. A positive correlation between the number of CgA‐staining cells and the serum values of CgA was found, as seven out of eight patients with groups of CgA‐positive tumor cells had elevated serum values of CgA. We conclude that CgA, in contrast to NSE, CgB, and Pst, seems to be a useful serum marker in predicting the extent of NE differentiation in prostatic tumors. Prostate 30:1–6, 1997 © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Incidence of high chromogranin A serum levels in patients with non metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma

“…Virtually all prostate adenocarcinomas show NE differentiation as defined by the NE marker chromograninA. Angelsen et al reported that CgA positive tumours presenting high serum CgA levels, suggested that the CgA should be a useful marker for predicting the extent of NED in prostate cancer [16]. NE differentiation, however, occurs only in the G0 phase of the cell cycle when tumour cells are usually resistant to cytotoxic drugs and radiotherapy.…”

Small-cell prostate carcinoma: A retrospective analysis of five newly reported cases

“…[9] In addition, serum chromogranin A levels were found to correlate with the extent of neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic carcinomas, though neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin B and pancreastatin did not. [10] Unfortunately in our case series, levels of secretory products were not measured, and the patients clinical courses were only followed by serum PSA measurements, of which 2 were elevated. Other serum markers that may be elevated in patients with SCC include chromogranin A, chromogranin B, neuron-specific enolase, serotonin, and secretoneurin.…”

Does Valproic Acid Induce Neuroendocrine Differentiation in Prostate Cancer?

“…While Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE) has also been used as an NE marker, it is known to be expressed in a variety of non-NE cells and tumors, which has led researchers to question its specificity [30, 31]. Serum CgA levels, on the other hand, have been reported to be better predictors of neuroendcocrine differentiation than NSE [32, 33]. Thus, CgA now is widely regarded as an excellent and more specific marker of NE differentiation.…”