The role of biological markers in epidemiological research: future directions.

The recent identification of new biological markers (biomarkers) has created unprecedented opportunities for molecular or biochemical epidemiologists in cancer mesearch. Laboratory measurements used with traditional methods of epidemiology have undisputedly added a new dimension to studies of causal associations. Although the technological arm of molecular on biochernicab epidemiology has grown rapidly, a need still exists for increasing technology transfer from the laboratory to human studies. To date, major research activities have been directed toward biomarker assay development without extending efforts to establish validity in human populations. Of equal concern is the question of the biological relevance of measurements to the processes of carcinogenesis. Similarly, the reported wide ranges of variability in individuals and laboratories as well as the lack of modified statistical methods for data intenpretation must be continually addressed. These issues pose a compelling challenge in the continued development and expansion of molecular cancer epidemiology. To this end, the National Cancer Institute sponsored an advisory workshop on applications of moleculan/biochemical epidemiology in cancer research on October 31, 1991, in Kona, Hawaii. With the cooperation of the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Center for Toxicological Research, the meeting