The goal of the Data Bank and BioRepository (DBBR) Resource is to meet the scientific needs of CCSG Program members by providing biospecimens procured under rigorous conditions in collection, processing and storage, linked with clinical and epidemiological data, for translational studies of cancer etiology, detection, treatment and prognosis. DBBR Clinical Research Associates enroll patients at 20 clinics running over 200 services, with the majority consented and blood samples drawn prior to surgery, ensuring minimal effects of cancer treatment on circulating biomarkers. Blood samples are collected alongside existing clinical laboratory orders by the phlebotomy service at RPCI, and transported to the laboratory through the pneumatic tube system, where they are processed into numerous 0.5ml straws of plasma, serum, red blood cells and buffy coat with an automated process, and stored in liquid nitrogen within 1 hour of blood draw. The DBBR actively maintains an inventory of over 700,000 prospectively banked samples from more than 17,000 participants. Family members and friends accompanying patients, visitors to RPCI, and community members identified through outreach and education events are also enrolled into DBBR as non-cancer controls. Detailed annotation and tracking procedures are in place, and the entire DBBR operation is managed through the RPCI Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and linked with PRN and CDN to enable supply of liquid specimens along with tumor specimens and high-quality clinical data. Samples and data are available through a chargeback mechanism to CCSG Program members and include those from patients diagnosed with breast, lung, GYN, GU, Gl, head and neck, melanoma, soft tissue sarcoma, lymphoma, and neurological cancers as well as bone marrow transplant patients. This Resource is unique for translational research because it provides high-quality epidemiological data linked to rigorously processed biospecimens that are characterized by pathological and clinical information, thereby actively facilitating studies of cancer risk, progression and outcome in an environment that ensures confidentiality. First priority for use is given to peer-review-funded CCSG members;second priority to non-peer-review-funded CCSG members;third priority to non-members and academic collaborators;and last priority to external users. During the reporting period, the Data Bank and BioRepository Shared Resource has served 6 research programs and 27 total users. Of the users, 84% overall utilization was by 18 CCSG members with peer-reviewed funding;8% overall utilization was by 5 CCSG members without peer-reviewed funding;and 8% utilization was by other users. The CCSG support provides 8% of the overall proposed budget.
The DBBR Shared Resource provides rigorously collected biospecimens matched with clinical and epidemiological data from cancer patients and non-cancer controls. These samples and data are readily available to scientists to conduct research on numerous questions related to cancer causes and outcomes. This obviates the need to prospectively conduct new studies, and allows for immediate translation of findings from the laboratory to populations.
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