24May 2023 by Ronny Allan No Comments
A spotlight on Chromogranin A

A spotlight on Chromogranin A

A Spotlight on NENs - Testing Series, Patient Advocacy
What is Chromogranin A? Chromogranin A (CgA) is an acidic protein released along with catecholamines from chromaffin cells and nerve terminals. This statement alone might explain why it's a good marker to use with Neuroendocrine Neoplasms.  It is said to be a measure of tumour bulk. Depending on the test kit being used, you may also see test results for Chromogranin B (CgB) alongside CgA. CgB is said to be less affected by false positives and forms a useful adjunct to the more established chromogranin A measurement.  The brand of test kit which includes CgB tends to be confined to Europe. Immunohistochemical Testing.  CgA is one the most commonly used immunohistochemical (IHC) markers for neuroendocrine cells and their tumours.  You may find the mention of CgA in your biopsy reports…
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28Apr 2023 by Ronny Allan 2 Comments
A spotlight on 5-HIAA

A spotlight on 5-HIAA

A Spotlight on NENs - Testing Series, Patient Advocacy
Background. It's important to note that not every type of Neuroendocrine Neoplasm will get the same tests due to the heterogenous nature of this cancer type. Some are more specific than others.  A wide range of tests may be necessary at diagnosis if the type of NET is not clear. This post will cover one of the main tests to check for a common type of Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) that is known to secrete excess amounts of the hormone Serotonin leading to symptoms indicative of Carcinoid Syndrome.  These tumours are often labelled using the antiquated and misnomer term ‘Carcinoid Tumour’ but more and more healthcare organisations and specialists are avoiding use of this term for several reasons. Mainly because the word has been 99% removed from the widely accepted World Health Organisation…
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11Jul 2020 by Ronny Allan 5 Comments
The NETest® – a Chromogranin A replacement and more?

The NETest® – a Chromogranin A replacement and more?

A Spotlight on NENs - Testing Series, Clinical Trials, Patient Advocacy
Tumour Markers General For some years the gold standard tumour marker for Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs) has been and remains today, Chromogranin A (and for certain scenarios Chromogranin B and C can provide some additional clues).  Pancreastatin, which is actually a molecule of Chromogranin A, is another marker touted but appears to be limited to USA. Its main advantage is the ability to better handle the effects of Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) use which is prevalent in the general population.  As we move to a new era of molecular/genetic tumour markers, there's a danger that NENs will be left behind, stuck with diagnostic tools not capable of meeting new demands. I see a lot of public criticism of Chromogranin A, but it's mainly directed at the problem of being skewed by…
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