Stability of HE4 and CA125 in blood samples from patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer

TY - JOUR

T1 - Stability of HE4 and CA125 in blood samples from patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer

AU - Sandhu, Noreen

AU - Karlsen, Mona A

AU - Høgdall, Claus

AU - Laursen, Inga A

AU - Christensen, Ib J

AU - Høgdall, Estrid V S

PY - 2014/9/1

Y1 - 2014/9/1

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of handling and storage on HE4 and CA125 serum and EDTA plasma levels to clarify any important consequences for a clinical setting.METHODS: Blood samples from 13 ovarian cancer (OC) patients were collected and allowed to clot or sediment for up to 72 hours at 4 °C or 20 °C, then processed into serum and EDTA plasma. Furthermore, the effects of up to eight repetitive cycles of freeze/thaw were investigated. HE4 and CA125 were analyzed using a Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay on the Architect i2000sr System.RESULTS: No significant effect of processing time for HE4 could be shown. HE4 EDTA plasma levels were insignificantly lower (3%) than serum levels (p = 0.41). Similarly, no significant effect of processing time for CA125 could be demonstrated. CA125 levels at 4 °C were significantly reduced compared to levels at 20 °C (p = 0.024). No significant difference between CA125 serum and plasma levels were found (p = 0.46). Serum and EDTA plasma samples were stable during the eight cycles of freezing and thawing (CA125: all p > 0.2; HE4: all p > 0.5).CONCLUSION: No systematic difference could be demonstrated for HE4. CA125 is not dependent on processing time, EDTA plasma or serum. Levels of CA125 are significantly reduced at 4 °C compared to levels at 20°C, but this difference was less than 6% and is not considered clinically relevant.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of handling and storage on HE4 and CA125 serum and EDTA plasma levels to clarify any important consequences for a clinical setting.METHODS: Blood samples from 13 ovarian cancer (OC) patients were collected and allowed to clot or sediment for up to 72 hours at 4 °C or 20 °C, then processed into serum and EDTA plasma. Furthermore, the effects of up to eight repetitive cycles of freeze/thaw were investigated. HE4 and CA125 were analyzed using a Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay on the Architect i2000sr System.RESULTS: No significant effect of processing time for HE4 could be shown. HE4 EDTA plasma levels were insignificantly lower (3%) than serum levels (p = 0.41). Similarly, no significant effect of processing time for CA125 could be demonstrated. CA125 levels at 4 °C were significantly reduced compared to levels at 20 °C (p = 0.024). No significant difference between CA125 serum and plasma levels were found (p = 0.46). Serum and EDTA plasma samples were stable during the eight cycles of freezing and thawing (CA125: all p > 0.2; HE4: all p > 0.5).CONCLUSION: No systematic difference could be demonstrated for HE4. CA125 is not dependent on processing time, EDTA plasma or serum. Levels of CA125 are significantly reduced at 4 °C compared to levels at 20°C, but this difference was less than 6% and is not considered clinically relevant.

KW - CA-125 Antigen

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Ovarian Neoplasms

KW - Proteins

KW - Reproducibility of Results

KW - Tumor Markers

KW - Biological

U2 - 10.3109/00365513.2014.903430

DO - 10.3109/00365513.2014.903430

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24724578

SN - 0036-5513

VL - 74

SP - 477

EP - 484

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Clinical & Laboratory Investigation

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Clinical & Laboratory Investigation

IS - 6

ER -