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Malignant Gastric Ghrelinoma with Hyperghrelinemia

2004; Oxford University Press; Volume: 89; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1210/jc.2003-032118

1945-7197

Apostolos V. Tsolakis, Guida Maria Portela‐Gomes, Mats Stridsberg, Lars Grimelius, Anders Sundin, Barbro Eriksson, Kjell E. Öberg, Eva Tiensuu Janson,

Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Advances

A characteristic feature of neuroendocrine tumors is production and release of peptide hormone. Ghrelin is a 28-amino acid hormone that stimulates GH release. In this paper, we describe a patient with a metastasizing gastric neuroendocrine tumor displaying intense immunoreactivity for ghrelin and extremely high circulating levels of ghrelin. Tumor tissue biopsies from the primary tumor and one liver metastasis were examined by immunohistochemistry. Ghrelin and several other hormones and tumor markers were measured in blood. The clinical course of the patient was followed. Tumor tissue biopsies showed immunoreactivity for cytokeratin, chromogranin A, human synaptic vesicle protein 2, synaptophysin, and ghrelin. Grossly elevated circulating levels of total ghrelin, 2100 μg/liter (reference interval < 5 μg/liter) and active ghrelin, 28 μg/liter (reference interval < 0.1 μg/liter) were found at presentation. Chromogranin A, chromogranin B, and calcitonin levels were also increased. Both total and active ghrelin increased, despite treatment, during follow-up of the patient. We have identified and characterized a patient with a malignant gastric neuroendocrine tumor secreting ghrelin as the main hormone. This might be a new tumor entity of the stomach, and it is suggested that patients with malignant gastric neuroendocrine tumors should be investigated for ghrelin production.