Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, Vol 4, Issue 5 509-513, Copyright © 1995 by American Association for Cancer Research

ARTICLES

Validity for epidemiological studies of long-term cryoconservation of steroid and protein hormones in serum and plasma

G Bolelli, P Muti, A Micheli, R Sciajno, F Franceschetti, V Krogh, P Pisani and F Berrino
Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche, Instituto Citomorfologia Normale e Patologica, Sezione Bologna, Italy.

Prospective studies based on the storage of biological samples at low temperature have opened new perspectives in etiological research on cancer. In planning these studies a crucial question is to evaluate whether the long-term preservation of samples is able to affect the categorization of the subjects involved. In the frame of the ORDET project, a prospective study of hormones and diet in the etiology of breast cancer provided with a -80 degrees C biological bank, we have evaluated the stability of estradiol, free and total testosterone, and prolactin in serum and plasma samples over 3 years of cryoconservation. Study results showed that the subjects maintained almost the same rank by hormonal concentration throughout the 3-year period for all hormones. Looking at the stability over time, estradiol, prolactin, and total testosterone had fairly good performance for both serum and plasma. Serum-free testosterone increased in time up to 30%, whereas progesterone decreased by about 40% of the initial concentration. However, the reliability of the individual categorization by hormonal level suggests the validity of low temperature storage for epidemiological purposes, at least for hormonal parameters.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Micheli, E. Meneghini, G. Secreto, F. Berrino, E. Venturelli, A. Cavalleri, T. Camerini, M. G. Di Mauro, E. Cavadini, G. De Palo, et al. Plasma Testosterone and Prognosis of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients J. Clin. Oncol., July 1, 2007; 25(19): 2685 - 2690. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. S. Tworoger and S. E. Hankinson Collection, processing, and storage of biological samples in epidemiologic studies: sex hormones, carotenoids, inflammatory markers, and proteomics as examples. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., September 1, 2006; 15(9): 1578 - 1581. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. G. Rundle, P. Vineis, and H. Ahsan Design Options for Molecular Epidemiology Research within Cohort Studies Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., August 1, 2005; 14(8): 1899 - 1907. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Isobe, S. Saitoh, S. Takagi, H. Takeuchi, Y. Chiba, N. Katoh, and K. Shimamoto Influence of gender, age and renal function on plasma adiponectin level: the Tanno and Sobetsu study Eur. J. Endocrinol., July 1, 2005; 153(1): 91 - 98. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Bjornerem, B. Straume, M. Midtby, V. Fonnebo, J. Sundsfjord, J. Svartberg, G. Acharya, P. Oian, and G. K. R. Berntsen Endogenous Sex Hormones in Relation to Age, Sex, Lifestyle Factors, and Chronic Diseases in a General Population: The Tromso Study J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., December 1, 2004; 89(12): 6039 - 6047. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. S. Tworoger, Y. Yasui, L. Chang, F. Z. Stanczyk, and A. McTiernan Specimen Allocation in Longitudinal Biomarker Studies: Controlling Subject-Specific Effects by Design Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., July 1, 2004; 13(7): 1257 - 1260. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Svartberg, R. Jorde, J. Sundsfjord, K. H. Bonaa, and E. Barrett-Connor Seasonal Variation of Testosterone and Waist to Hip Ratio in Men: The Tromso Study J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2003; 88(7): 3099 - 3104. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. Peck, B. S. Hulka, D. A. Savitz, D. Baird, C. Poole, and B. E. Richardson Accuracy of Fetal Growth Indicators as Surrogate Measures of Steroid Hormone Levels during Pregnancy Am. J. Epidemiol., February 1, 2003; 157(3): 258 - 266. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. Peck, B. S. Hulka, C. Poole, D. A. Savitz, D. Baird, and B. E. Richardson Steroid Hormone Levels during Pregnancy and Incidence of Maternal Breast Cancer Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., April 1, 2002; 11(4): 361 - 368. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. N. Seidman, A. B. Araujo, S. P. Roose, D.P. Devanand, S. Xie, T. B. Cooper, and J. B. McKinlay Low Testosterone Levels in Elderly Men With Dysthymic Disorder Am J Psychiatry, March 1, 2002; 159(3): 456 - 459. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. J. Cunningham, M. Sinnott, A. Denihan, M. Rowan, J. B. Walsh, R. O’Moore, D. Coakley, R. F. Coen, B. A. Lawler, and D. D. O’Neill Endogenous Sex Hormone Levels in Postmenopausal Women with Alzheimer's Disease J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2001; 86(3): 1099 - 1103. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				F. Berrino, C. Bellati, G. Secreto, E. Camerini, V. Pala, S. Panico, G. Allegro, and R. Kaaks Reducing Bioavailable Sex Hormones through a Comprehensive Change in Diet: the Diet and Androgens (DIANA) Randomized Trial Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., January 1, 2001; 10(1): 25 - 33. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				G. A. Laughlin and E. Barrett-Connor Sexual Dimorphism in the Influence of Advanced Aging on Adrenal Hormone Levels: The Rancho Bernardo Study J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2000; 85(10): 3561 - 3568. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Garcia-Closas, S. E. Hankinson, S.-m. Ho, D. C. Malins, N. L. Polissar, S. N. Schaefer, Y. Su, and M. A. Vinson Chapter 9: Factors Critical to the Design and Execution of Epidemiologic Studies and Description of an Innovative Technology to Follow the Progression From Normal to Cancer Tissue J Natl Cancer Inst Monographs, July 1, 2000; 2000(27): 147 - 156. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. A. Laughlin, E. Barrett-Connor, D. Kritz-Silverstein, and D. von Mühlen Hysterectomy, Oophorectomy, and Endogenous Sex Hormone Levels in Older Women: The Rancho Bernardo Study J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2000; 85(2): 645 - 651. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. Shibata, M. M. Lee, and P. B. Meyer Laboratory Assay Reproducibility of Serum Estrogens in Umbilical Cord Blood Samples Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., February 1, 1999; 8(2): 147 - 151. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				P. Muti and M. Trevisan Endogenous sex hormones and cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women BMJ, March 23, 1996; 312(7033): 777 - 777. [Full Text]

				E. Barrett-Connor and D. Goodman-Gruen Authors' reply BMJ, March 23, 1996; 312(7033): 777a - 777. [Full Text]