Chromogranin A (CGA) Test - Plasma in Parel

It should be measured to diagnose and monitor carcinoid tumours and other neuroendocrine tumours and measure the response to these tumours’ treatments

Your doctor will recommend this test for you if he sees the signs of carcinoid tumour. The signs include:

• Face and neck being deep red colour suddenly
• Diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and signs of intestinal blockage
• Fast heart rate
• Chest pain, wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing

Chromogranin A (CgA) is a protein released from neuroendocrine cells. These are cells that release hormones against signals from the nervous system. They are found in many organs throughout our body.

Neuroendocrine cells, and the endocrine glands that they are found in, can cause a variety of tumors, both benign and malignant like carcinoid tumors, insulinomas, small cell lung cancers, pheochromocytomas, medullary thyroid carcinomas, some pituitary tumors, and neuroblastomas. This test can be utilised to help in detection, diagnosis, or monitoring response to treatment or relapse of neuroendocrine tumors, specifically carcinoid tumors.

Carcinoid tumors, a division of neuroendocrine tumors, are slow-growing noncancerous or cancerous masses. These form mainly in the digestive tract (stomach, pancreas, small intestine, colon, appendix, rectum) or the lungs.