[Laboratory diagnostics of lung neuroendocrine tumors]

Perhaps innovations in protein and peptide analysis utilizing immunochemistry methodology have been the most demarcating in the field of routine laboratory diagnostics in the past few decades. Presently, the state of art immunochemistry (e.g., immunofluorimetry, electrochemiluminescence) and separation techniques (e.g., high pressure liquid chromatography) facilitate achievement of detection limits well below the nmol/L range. These techniques have allowed reproducible and high throughput analysis with a short turnaround time of tumor markers, among others, in the routine diagnostic laboratory setting. Tumor marker determination is an integral part of the diagnostic work-up of tumors, and is indispensable in therapeutic monitoring and clinical decision-making. This article presents the utility of tumor markers in the diagnostics of lung neuroendocrine tumors (NET). Furthermore, since the majority of the tests used in lung NET diagnostics are infrequently requested, quite a few practical issues are also discussed. The generally applicable rule pertaining to tumor markers is also valid for NET diagnostics, i.e., improved sensitivity and specificity is widely achieved with a combination of tumor markers, as such, promoting diagnosis, efficient therapeutic monitoring and defining the prognosis.