The role of the pathologist in tissue banking: European Consensus Expert Group Report

Human tissue biobanking encompasses a wide range of activities and study designs and is critical for application of a wide range of new technologies (-“omics”) to the discovery of molecular patterns of disease and for implementation of novel biomarkers into clinical trials. Pathology is the cornerstone of hospital-based tissue biobanking. Pathologists not only provide essential information identifying the specimen but also make decisions on what should be biobanked, making sure that the timing of all operations is consistent with both the requirements of clinical diagnosis and the optimal preservation of biological products. This document summarizes the conclusions of a Pathology Expert Group Meeting within the European Biological and Biomolecular Research Infrastructure (BBMRI) Program. These recommendations are aimed at providing guidance for pathologists as well as for institutions hosting biobanks on how to better integrate and support pathological activities within the framework of biobanks that fulfill international standards

Aula d'Ecologia : cicle de conferències 2004 /

Descripció del recurs: 13 juny 200

Supplementary Material for: Infrastructure and Facilities for Human Biobanking in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Situation Analysis

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> To collect information on biobanking facilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as a first step towards establishing an LMIC biobank and cohort building network (BCNet) to support research, with a focus on cancer control. <b><i>Method:</i></b> Sixty centres were identified from sources including cancer centres, universities, hospitals, and public health facilities and invited to participate in a survey between December 2012 and March 2013. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Of the 27 centres (45%) that responded, most have existed for <10 years. They store between 1,000 and 1,000,000 research samples as well as samples remaining after clinical diagnosis. Sample storage is mostly in freezers, although 45% (9/20) of the centres do not have regular access to electricity. Biobank managers, sample management systems, and mechanisms for follow-up using linkages are uncommon. Many (80%; 21/26) of the centres have regulations to govern research, but regulations for the use of biobank resources (samples and data) are not well developed. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Biobanking facilities are being developed in LMICs. Shortcomings in international visibility, sample sharing regulations, standardization, quality assurance, and sample management systems could be alleviated by international networking. Stakeholders need to work together to increase access to high-quality biological resources for scientific research

The role of the pathologist in tissue banking: European Consensus Expert Group Report

Human tissue biobanking encompasses a wide range of activities and study designs and is critical for application of a wide range of new technologies (-"omics") to the discovery of molecular patterns of disease and for implementation of novel biomarkers into clinical trials. Pathology is the cornerstone of hospital-based tissue biobanking. Pathologists not only provide essential information identifying the specimen but also make decisions on what should be biobanked, making sure that the timing of all operations is consistent with both the requirements of clinical diagnosis and the optimal preservation of biological products. This document summarizes the conclusions of a Pathology Expert Group Meeting within the European Biological and Biomolecular Research Infrastructure (BBMRI) Program. These recommendations are aimed at providing guidance for pathologists as well as for institutions hosting biobanks on how to better integrate and support pathological activities within the framework of biobanks that fulfill international standards

Amount of DNA in plasma and cancer risk: a prospective study.

Levels of plasma DNA concentrations in cancer patients have been shown to be higher than the plasma DNA concentrations found in healthy subjects. The value of plasma DNA levels for development of neoplastic or pulmonary disease was evaluated in a large prospective study. Plasma samples (n = 1,184) were analyzed from 776 controls, 359 cases of cancer (lung, bladder, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, leukemia) and 49 deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including never smokers and ex-smokers, from 9 countries across Europe. The amount of plasma DNA was variable across the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) centers. High DNA concentrations in some centers might be due to the type of population recruited and/or the treatment of the samples. An elevated and statistically significant odds ratio (OR) was found for COPD deaths (OR = 2.53; 95% CI = 1.06-6.02), while nonsignificant increased ORs were present for oral cancers, cancers of the pharynx and larynx and leukemia. When the analyses were stratified by time since recruitment (below or above 36 months), the increased ORs were limited to the more recent period of recruitment, i.e., a time elapsed between blood drawing and disease onset lower than 36 months. This was particularly true for COPD deaths (OR = 12.7; 95% CI = 1.57-103) and leukemia (OR = 2.37; 95% CI = 1.20-4.67)