Molecular Epidemiology Resource

Dr. Cerhan's Lymphoma Epidemiology Lab created and maintains the Molecular Epidemiology Resource (MER) as part of the University of Iowa/Mayo Clinic Lymphoma SPORE. The MER is a cohort study that supports a wide variety of epidemiologic and clinical projects. The MER is used by researchers throughout Mayo Clinic and around the world to identify clinical, epidemiologic, host genetic, biologic, tumor, and treatment factors that impact lymphoma outcomes and survivorship.

From Sept. 1, 2002, to June 30, 2015, nearly 7,000 patients newly diagnosed with lymphoma at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, or at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, were enrolled in the cohort. Researchers continue to follow up all participants to understand lymphoma outcomes and survivorship.

In 2015, Dr. Cerhan and his research collaborators expanded the Molecular Epidemiology Resource protocol to six additional sites, creating the Lymphoma Epidemiology of Outcomes (LEO) Study. The MER continues to recruit participants as part of the Lymphoma SPORE and as a Midwestern branch of the LEO study. The MER is also now open at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and Florida.

Mayo Clinic and external investigators may request data from either the Molecular Epidemiology Resource data collection or from the expanded LEO lymphoma study. Request information through our contact page.

Data collection protocol

All participants in the MER are contacted every six months for the first three years after diagnosis and then annually after that to ascertain outcomes. Disease progression or relapse, re-treatment, transformation and new cancers are validated against medical records.

At enrollment, participants complete a medical history questionnaire, provide a blood specimen for DNA, plasma and serum, and give consent for researchers to access their medical records.

The Lymphoma Epidemiology Lab collects patient-reported outcomes and survivorship data through regular follow-ups.

Related study files

Researchers can learn more about the study by reviewing these PDF files for study news and questionnaires:

• The University of Iowa/Mayo Clinic SPORE newsletter, Spring 2016 (PDF)
• Molecular Epidemiology Resource Baseline Enrollment questionnaire (PDF)
• Mayo Clinic Study of Lymphoma and Leukemia 3-Year Follow-Up (PDF)
• Mayo Clinic Study of Lymphoma and Leukemia 6-Year Follow-Up (PDF)
• Mayo Clinic Study of Lymphoma and Leukemia 9-Year Follow-Up (PDF)