ProGRP is a possible tumor marker for patients with Ewing sarcoma

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We analyzed serum ProGRP levels in patients with Ewing sarcoma, and found that 5 out of 9 patients had elevated levels; the values range equally with those of patients with limited disease of small-cell lung carcinoma. Serum ProGRP levels in patients with bone and soft tissue malignancies other than Ewing sarcoma are not elevated. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that ProGRP-like immunoreactivities were detected in Ewing sarcoma tissues obtained from 2 patients with elevated serum ProGRP levels, suggesting that ProGRP is a product of tumor cells of Ewing sarcoma. These results indicate that serum ProGRP could serve as a specific tumor marker for Ewing sarcoma. Since ProGRP is a major hormonal product of tumor cells of small-cell lung carcinoma, a typical neuroendocrine carcinoma, it is reasonable to postulate that the present study provides an evidence for Ewing sarcoma to possess neuroendocrine differentiation.