An Overview of Circulating Biomarkers in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: A Clinical Guide

Overview

Journal Diagnostics (Basel)

Specialty Radiology

Date 2023 Sep 9

PMID 37685358

Authors

Michele Bevere

Francesca Masetto

Maria Elena Carazzolo

Alice Bettega

Anastasios Gkountakos

Aldo Scarpa

Michele Simbolo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are a heterogeneous group of diseases that are characterized by different behavior and clinical manifestations. The diagnosis and management of this group of tumors are challenging due to tumor complexity and lack of precise and widely validated biomarkers. Indeed, the current circulating mono-analyte biomarkers (such as chromogranin A) are ineffective in describing such complex tumors due to their poor sensitivity and specificity. In contrast, multi-analytical circulating biomarkers (including NETest) are emerging as more effective tools to determine the real-time profile of the disease, both in terms of accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. In this review, we will analyze the capabilities and limitations of different circulating biomarkers focusing on three relevant questions: (1) accurate and early diagnosis; (2) monitoring of disease progression and response to therapy; and (3) detection of early relapse.

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