National Health System Support Services
Tumour Bank
The CNIO Tumour Bank Network
Since there has been a progressive decrease in the use of cell lines and animal models in recent years, the transfer of information from basic cancer research to the clinical sphere relies on human neoplastic tissue. This trend goes hand in hand with the development of molecular and cytogenetic studies, and also the concept of the neoplastic phenomenon as a heterotypic process in which the cell itself along with the tissue environment and that within which the cell develops, plays a fundamental role.
Studies carried out with cell lines and animal models are developed according to standardised procedures. The processes of tissue handling involved in studies of human neoplastic tissue are however usually more variable especially when they involve several hospitals, as the use of tissues for subsequent research is always constrained by its primary aim, which is anatomopathological diagnosis.
The need to use human neoplastic tissue under ideal conditions is currently of particular importance due to the development molecular pathology techniques that allow large-scale studies of genetic expression that are also of clinical significance.
The Tumour Bank Network (TBN), instigated and coordinated by the Molecular Pathology Programme (MMP) aims to respond to this need by the promoting of Tumour Banks in Spanish hospitals. This will be achieved through the application of homogeneous procedures for the collection, processing and storage of neoplastic and normal tissue samples in such a way as to make molecular studies possible, avoiding that avoid the intrinsic bias of multi-centre studies possible.
These Hospital Tumour Banks are based within the Pathology Departments of the collaborating Hospitals, that are interconnected through a computer-based network. In this way, each Centre’s tissue remains in the Hospital itself, thereby playing a key role in the development of the welfare, teaching and research activities within the Hospital. At the same time, it represents a tool to encourage of multi-hospital cancer research and of cooperation between basic and clinical researchers, constituting important collaboration between biomedical disciplines.
The current design does not correspond to a Central Tumour Bank, but that of a cooperative and coordinated Network of Hospital Banks, based on simple, homogeneous and optimal tissue treatment protocols. This Network is promoted by the CNIO, which thereby undertakes the work of coordinating the network, using and maintaining the database, adhering to quality control.
The Associated Centres be considered a high priority for the use of the services of the network, for carrying joint research projects, and for access to the technology available in the CNIO and also to its scientific activities and training of researchers, specialists and technicians.
