In atrophic body gastritis (ABG) chronic hypergastrinaemia stimulates enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cell proliferation with development of cell hyperplasia, dysplasia and possibly type-1 gastric carcinoids. As circulating chromogranin A (CgA) levels are a marker of neuroendocrine tumours, we evaluated the clinical usefulness of CgA assay in ABG patients to detect those with carcinoids.
Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Milan, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, Padiglione Granelli, Via F Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy. maddalena.peracchi@unimi.it
