Description

OBJECTIVES

• To provide a tissue and cell repository to be used by Wake Forest University Comprehensive Cancer Center (WFUCCC) investigators.
• To provide specialized research pathology services to these investigators.

OUTLINE: Tumor and normal tissue in the resected specimen (when possible) are harvested and collected from patients undergoing planned surgery or biopsy. Additionally, any normal tissue and/or fluid removed in the course of the operation (e.g., cerebrospinal fluid during brain tumor resection) may also be stored for use in analyzing changes from normal tissue to cancerous tissue. Specimens are rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen to preserve the mRNA, proteins, lipids, and DNA in the samples for future analysis. Tissue is stored for research projects on tumors and treatment of cancer patients. Research may involve analysis of the genetic makeup of the tumor tissue. Genes may be cloned and living cells cultured from the stored tissue. Blood is also collected during surgery. Samples are maintained and cataloged for future retrieval.

Information about medical history is collected from patient medical records. This information includes the following: medical diagnosis; specific information about treatment; other medical conditions; medical data (i.e., laboratory test results, tumor measurements, CT scans, MRI scans, x-rays, and pathology results); side effects experienced and treatment for side effects; long-term information about general health status and the status of disease; data that may be related to tissue and/or blood samples collected; and identifying numbers or codes (i.e., social security number and medical record number).