Clinical and Research Applications of a Brain Tumor Tissue Bank in the Age of Precision Medicine

Abstract

Marked progress has been made recently in the treatment of patients with central nervous system (CNS) tumors, especially gliomas. However, because of the relative rarity of these tumors compared with other malignancies, advances in the molecular/genetic analysis leading to future targeted treatments rely on systematic, organized tissue banking. Several large multi-institutional efforts have utilized major tissue banks that have yielded valuable information that may lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of CNS tumors. This manuscript portrays best practices for the establishment and maintenance of a well-organized CNS tumor bank. In addition, annotation for clinical and research needs is explained. The potential benefits to clinical care, as well as basic science and translational research are also described.

Neurosurgery's Impact on Neuro-Oncology—“Can We Do Better?”—Lessons Learned Over 50 Years

“…By further developing systems to store and annotate tumor and serum samples, we can contribute to the emerging science of molecular diagnostics and precision therapeutics for brain tumors. 76 We should obtain specimens from multiple tumor regions and, when clinically appropriate, from invaded brain to enable studies of invading tumor cells. Because of the cellular complexity of solid tumors, which contain normal brain elements and infiltrating immune cells along with the tumor cell component, studies of isolated tumor cells should be encouraged.…”

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“…Cassandra Griffin 1,2,3,4 , Ricardo Vilain 1,2,3,4,5 , Simon King 1,3,5 , Sandy Nixon 6 , Alisha Gooley 6 , Samara Bray 2,3,4,7 , James Lynam 1,3,4,8 , Marjorie M Walker 1,2,3,4,5 , Rodney J Scott 2,3,4,5,7,9 and Christine Paul 1,3,4,8,9,10 there may be a degree of transferability for basic techniques, it stands to reason that the pathophysiological nature of brain cancer requires additional consideration outside this scope. At the heart of these considerations is post-mortem interval from death to deposition into the biobank, which while a primary consideration for all post-mortem donations involving the brain or other tissues, is particularly pertinent in brain cancer donations.…”

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