Mayo Clinic Serum Collection

The Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch within the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) maintains a collection of cancer serum samples originally collected and maintained at a central storage facility at the Mayo Clinic. These samples were collected to stimulate and facilitate the evaluation of putative biologic markers for the detection and diagnosis of cancer. Samples were isolated from diverse populations including non-smoking and smoking individuals with malignant and benign tumors and from non-tumor control subjects. Samples were isolated from patients with cancers at different sites, including colorectal, lung, bladder, stomach, head and neck, lymphoma, leukemia, kidney, bone, brain, melanomas, etc.

Limited associated clinical data for the sample volunteers include age, sex, diagnosis site, stage of cancer, histology, surgical status (preoperative or postoperative), kinds of therapy, date of diagnosis, disease severity at time of sample collection, date of collection, and date of initial treatment.

For more details on the protocols used in collection and storage of the samples, please see DiMagno EP et al., 1989.

Investigators interested in obtaining the serum samples should summarize their proposal for the use of these samples in an email to Dr. Charles Rabkin.