The PLCO Biorepository: Creating, Maintaining, and Administering a Unique Biospecimen Resource

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Epidemiology
• Biorepository Science

Background:

• Biospecimens are crucial for understanding disease etiology, biomarker identification, and developing cancer prevention and treatment strategies.
• Population-based studies benefit significantly from the inclusion of biospecimens.
• The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) cancer screening trial created a comprehensive biorepository.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the procedures for biospecimen collection, processing, storage, and distribution within the PLCO trial.
• To highlight the value of the PLCO biorepository for cancer research.
• To provide insights and lessons learned for establishing and managing biospecimen collections in cohort studies.

Main Methods:

• Collected blood samples at multiple screening rounds from participants in the screening arm.
• Collected buccal samples from participants in the control arm.
• Acquired formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue specimens for selected cancer sites from both arms.

Main Results:

• The PLCO trial successfully established a biorepository containing blood, buccal, and tumor tissue biospecimens.
• Biospecimens were collected serially and often prior to cancer diagnosis, linked with rich epidemiologic and screening data.
• Access to the PLCO biorepository is managed through a rigorous scientific review process.

Conclusions:

• The PLCO biorepository is a unique and valuable resource for cancer research, facilitating biomarker discovery and etiology studies.
• The described procedures and lessons learned can inform the development of future biospecimen collection efforts.
• Effective management and accessibility policies are key to maximizing the utility of biorepositories.