A Survey of Health Care Professionals and Oncology Patients at the Mcgill University Health Centre Reveals Enthusiasm for Establishing a Postmortem Rapid Tissue Donation Program

Abstract

Background In the early developmental phase of a postmortem rapid tissue donation (RTD) program for patients with metastatic cancer, we surveyed health care professionals (HCPS) and oncology patients at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) to assess their knowledge and attitudes pertaining to RTD from metastatic cancer patients for research purposes.Methods A 23-item survey was developed and distributed to hcps at tumour board meetings, and a related 26-item survey was developed and distributed to oncology patients at the MUHC Cedars Cancer Centre.Results The survey attracted participation from 73 HCPS, including 37 attending physicians, and 102 oncology patients. Despite the fact that 88% of hcps rated their knowledge of RTD as none or limited, 42% indicated that they would feel comfortable discussing RTD with their cancer patients. Of the responding hcps, 67% indicated that their current knowledge of RTD would affect their decision to discuss such a program with patients, which implies the importance of education for hcps to facilitate enrolment of patients into a RTD program. Of responding patients, 78% indicated that they would not be uncomfortable if their doctor discussed RTD with them, and 61% indicated that they would like it if their doctor were to discuss RTD with them. The hcps and patients felt that the best time for patients to be approached about consenting to a RTD program would be at the transition to palliative care when no treatment options remain.Conclusions At the MUHC, hcps and patients are generally enthusiastic about adopting a RTD program for patients with metastatic cancer. Education of hcps and patients will be an important determinant of the program’s success.

Post‐mortem tissue donation programs as platforms to accelerate cancer research

“…This point was further emphasized by another study demonstrating that, while 93% of parents of deceased pediatric cancer patients would have consented to a research autopsy, the most significant barriers to conducting such autopsies were physicians' reluctance to ask and their lack of awareness about such programs [17]. Recent work from our group further revealed this disconnect between healthcare professionals and patients [18]. While surveyed patients were very enthusiastic towards rapid tissue donation, healthcare professionals, while also enthusiastic, expressed greater concern than the patient population as a result of a lack of education about rapid tissue donation.…”

Australian Donation and Transplantation Biobank: A Research Biobank Integrated Within a Deceased Organ and Tissue Donation Program

“… 37 Debate persists regarding minimum requirements of consent for donation to research biobanks, especially in contexts in which the risks of participation are low. Furthermore, much of the debate regarding the validity of consent and ongoing information sharing by research biobanks and discussions of consent in the context of rapid tissue donation postmortem focus on consent obtained from living donors, 38 , 39 rather than surrogate consent for research use of donations from deceased persons. More specific consent and provision of detailed ongoing information about research involving deceased donor samples may be considered less relevant to surrogate decision-makers such as the SANOK, except where research may pose risks to living persons such as genetic relatives of donors.…”

Point‐of‐care detection of fibrosis in liver transplant surgery using near‐infrared spectroscopy and machine learning

“…Samples were embedded in paraffin, sectioned and stained with Haemotoxylin and Eosin, picrosirius red (PSR) and Van Geison's (VG) stains for assessment of fibrosis. Samples were assessed visually for fibrosis and steatosis by a blinded Anatomical Pathologist (Department of Anatomical Pathology, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria) to assess the presence of fibrosis (defined as >30% fibrosis), grade of fibrosis using the METAVIR (meta‐analysis of histopathology data for viral hepatitis) scale 39 , 40 (F0–F4), underlying diagnoses and percentage of both immature (PSR stain) and mature (VG stain) fibrosis using standardized international guidelines. 41 …”

“…Spectral data (wavelength range: 900-1700 nm, resolution ≈ 2nm) were acquired via a custom-built reusable stainless-steel fiber optic probe (Avantes BV). Spectral Victoria) to assess the presence of fibrosis (defined as >30% fibrosis), grade of fibrosis using the METAVIR (meta-analysis of histopathology data for viral hepatitis) scale 39,40 were carried our using linear regression analysis and reported as correlation coefficients and 95% confidence intervals.…”