In order to evaluate the relevance of basic science discoveries to human lung cancer, it has been and will continue to be necessary to obtain and analyze human tissues. The purpose of the Tissue Banks Core (TBC) ia to provide to SPORE investigators a large number of well preserved and well characterized tumors, dysplastic lesions, benign tissues, cell lines and cell and tissue fractions as well as relevant clinical information for laboratory study. Fixed, frozen and cultured tissue, serum, peripheral blood cells (PBC), urine and sputum from patients with lung cancer or at risk for lung cancer are collected through tissue procurement protocols of SPORE-affiliated institutions and the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG). Tissue and cellular specimens are characterized as to cell type and cytogenetic and immunohistochemical marker expression by pathologists and technicians of the TBC. Microdissection and in vitro culture techniques are used to isolate and purify tumor cells and preneoplastic epithelium from contaminating stromal cells. DNA and RNA are extracted from tissue homogenates and purified cell populations and aliquoted for PCR-based procedures and blotting techniques. Inventories of tissues and cells and products prepared from these are maintained at storage sites both at Grand Junction St. Mary's Cancer Research Institute and the UCHSC. Clinical data regarding potential causative, hereditary and prognostic factors are linked in a centralized database to specimens characterized and prepared by the TBC and are available for correlation with information regarding specific specimens obtained in basic science programs. Both prospectively and retrospectively collected tissue samples and clinical information are tracked by the TBC. Tissue from invasive tumors and adjacent non- neoplastic lung tissue, pretreatment plasma and PBC from patients with these tumors are collected and processed from patients treated surgically at SPORE affiliated institutions. The TBC constitutes a unique national source of uniformly typed, staged, treated and observed tumors and preneoplastic lesions. The C permits the most efficient possible use of limited amounts of tissue available from patients with lung cancer. Materials collected by the TBC are available to SPORE and other approved and funded investigators on the basis of scientific review.
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