Onkológia 5/2007

TUMOR TISSUE BANK

Improvement in cancer care is possible by applying new treatment modalities, which are emerging from knowledge and discoveries coming from laboratory research. This is possible through the collection from patients tumour tissues on basis of creation of tumor tissue bank. The aim of such a bank is not only to improve the diagnostic review process, but also to facilitate translational research by allowing clinicians and basic scientists to enter into close collaborations. Tissue sample of tumors is the most important rate-limiting factor for carrying out any translational research. Hence a cancer research center needs to maintain a proper tissue bank from where serial stored samples along with the relevant clinical records can be obtained for a translational cancer research in future.The tissue research is developed to assure, under the legal framework, an ethical and scientific review of research projects, guarantee adequate information is given to patients, establish procedures on the use of materials, including legal aspects, and publication policies. The cancer centers across the country do not have the concept of tumor banking. Considering the existing protocol of tumor banking of EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) we suggest some guidelines to initiate this concept. Further discussion would highlight our views for starting this the concept as a freestanding entity with meager resources across the country.

Keywords: tumor tissue bank, tissue research, translational research