A common protocol for specimen collection has been adopted using the protocols developed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a basis and published in Common Minimum Technical Standards and Protocols for Biological Resource Centres dedicated to Cancer Research, IARC Working Group Report 2, 2007. Read.
Blood samples are obtained by venipuncture using vacutainers. Subjects are seated in a semi-upright position (different positions should be recorded). Two 10 ml tubes of blood are collected, including one tube for plasma and buffy coat and another tube for serum. Serum, plasma, buffy coat, and red blood cells are then aliquoted into 0.5 ml screw-cap, bar-coded cryovials and stored at -80 °C.
Spot urinary samples are collected in clean, and dry plastic containers for urine collection (50 ml capacity with a bar-code label). Urine is refrigerated until aliquoted into 1 ml tubes and stored at -80 °C.