Chromogranin A (CgA) and
neuron specific enolase (NSE) are important markers in adult
neuroendocrine tumors (NET).
Neuroblastoma (NB) has certain neuroendocrine properties. The aim of this study was to correlate blood concentrations of CgA,
chromogranin B (CgB), and NSE to prognostic factors and outcome in children with NB. Blood samples from 92 patients with NB, 12 patients with benign
ganglioneuroma (GN), 21 patients with non-NB solid
tumors, 10 patients with acute
leukemias, and 69 healthy children, were analyzed. CgA concentrations were higher in neonates vs. children older than one month in the control group (p < 0.0001), and in neonates with NB vs. the control group (p < 0.01). CgA and NSE concentrations were higher in patients with stages 3 and 4 disease (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05), in patients having
tumors with amplification of MYCN (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001), or chromosome 1 p deletion (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05). NSE correlated to the
tumor size at diagnosis (p < 0.001) and to
tumor related death (p < 0.01) in NB. CgA and NSE concentrations were elevated in patients with NB and especially in those with advanced disease. Both CgA and NSE correlated to
genetic markers, while only NSE correlated to primary
tumor size and outcome in NB. We found that CgA and NSE are clinically valuable
tumor markers in NB and they merit prospective clinical evaluations as such.