Comparison of chromogranin A, insulin-like growth factor 1 and prostate-specific antigen serum markers in prostate adenocarcinoma and benign prostatic hyperplasia

Background/Aim: To compare serum chromogranin A (CgA) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) with the classical prostate-specific antigen (PSA) marker in clinically localized prostate adenocarcinomas. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective single-center study that included 64 consecutive men with newly diagnosed clinically localized prostate adenocarcinoma and 20 consecutive men with histologically confirmed benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A blood sample for the determination of serum total PSA, CgA and IGF-1 levels (RIA) was obtained from all cases. Analysis of variance was performed to evaluate their variations according to disease and the pathological characteristics of prostate adenocarcinoma. Results: Only serum PSA levels (p < 0.0001) and not IGF-1 (p = 0.5475) or CgA (p = 0.5043) were significantly higher in the prostate cancer (PCa) group as compared to the BPH group. A significant variance between BPH and PCa divided on the basis of pT stage was found for PSA levels (p < 0.0001) but not for CgA (p = 0.0869) and IGF-1 (p = 0.6883) levels. Dividing PCa on the basis of Gleason score, a significant variance was found for CgA (p = 0.0100) and for PSA (p < 0.001), but not for IGF-1 (p = 0.6895) levels. Conclusions: In our population the quantification of PSA and CgA serum levels and not of IGF-1 provides independent significant information in the diagnosis and aggressiveness of PCa, respectively. Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG.