Abstract
Circulating cell-free microRNAs (cfmiRNA) are an emerging class of biomarkers that have shown great promise in the clinical diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of several pathological conditions, including cancer. However, validation and clinical implementation of cfmiRNA biomarkers has been hindered by the variability introduced during different or suboptimal specimen collection and handling practices. To address the need for standardization and evidence-based guidance, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) developed a new Biospecimen Evidenced-Based Practices (BEBP) document, entitled “Cell-free miRNA (cfmiRNA): Blood Collection and Processing”. The BEBP, the fourth in the document series, contains step-by-step procedural guidelines on blood collection, processing, storage, extraction, and quality assessment that are tailored specifically for cfmiRNA analysis of plasma and serum. The workflow outlined in the BEBP is based on the available literature and recommendations of an expert panel. The BEBP contains the level of detail required for development of evidence-based standard operating procedures (SOPs) as well as the flexibility needed to accomodate (i) discovery- and inquiry-based studies and (ii) the different constraints faced by research labs, industry, clinical and academic institutions to foster widespread implementation. Guidance from the expert panel also included recommendations on study design, validating changes in workflow, and suggested quality thresholds to delineate meaningful changes in cfmiRNA levels. The NCI cfmiRNA: Blood Collection and Processing BEBP is available here as supplementary information as well as through the NCI Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research Branch (BBRB) (https://biospecimens.cancer.gov/resources/bebp.asp).
Funding source: The Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance
Funding source: The Mighty Moose Foundation
Funding source: Abcam, Inc
Funding source: Aspira Women's Health™
Funding source: National Cancer Institute
Funding source: The Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation
Funding source: Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson Medical Foundation
Acknowledgments
Dr. D. Hoon would like to thank the Drs. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson Medical Foundation for supporting this work.
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Research funding: Dr. D. Hoon would like to thank the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson Medical Foundation for supporting his work. The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson Medical Foundation played no role in the analysis and interpretation of data, in the writing of the report or in the decision to submit the report for publication. Dr. K. Elias acknowledges research support from The Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation, the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance, the Mighty Moose Foundation, Abcam, Inc., and Aspira Women’s Health. These entities played no role in the analysis and interpretation of data, in the writing of the report or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
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Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
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Competing interests: Dr. K. Elias is a co-inventor of a patent examining circulating miRNAs in ovarian cancer diagnostics.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Ethical approval: Not applicable.
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Supplementary Material
This article contains supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2023-0131).
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