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Update from Mesothelioma Information
In our latest extract from the Program Report of the International Mesothelioma Program the IMP talks about one of their unique research resources . . .
Mesothelioma Tumor Bank Provides Resources for Study
With more than 500 specimens, representing samples from the majority of mesothelioma patients seen at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute over the years, the IMP mesothelioma tumor and tissue bank – part of the Tissue and Blood Repository (TBR) at BWH – may be the largest in the world, according to William Richards, PhD, TBR operations director.
"We collect a variety of samples both for ongoing mesothelioma-related studies and for archival storage for future research," he said. "All samples are aliquoted – divided into smaller size samples – so they can be used multiple times. This is done quickly, so the molecular composition of tissue remains intact. The size of a sample can vary – a few grams of a tumor specimen is sufficient to provide 10 to 20 aliquots, which can be used at least that many times, as not all of an aliquot may be needed at any one time."
After completion of patient consent forms, various samples are taken during the course of each mesothelioma patient's treatment. Samples may include pleural effusions (fluid that collects in the lining of the lung and must be removed, as it may contain malignant cells), blood, and tumor tissue plus tissue from an uninvolved part of the surgical specimen (to be used as a control sample).
For patients who undergo the heated chemotherapy wash as part of their surgeries, blood and urine specimens also are required. "These are needed to determine the clearance of the chemotherapy drugs used," said Richards. "During the procedure, the drugs are applied directly into the chest cavity, but some is absorbed into the bloodstream. Because the drugs can be toxic, they need to be monitored to make sure they eventually clear from the patient's system." The surgical team also collects samples of the lavage or washing fluid used during the procedure.
Collecting samples is one thing. Preserving them is another. "We store samples very carefully," said Richards, "so that they may be useful as future scientific questions come to light." The TBR has a number of fail-safe mechanisms, including auxiliary power and a 24-hour alarm system, to ensure that samples remain frozen in the event of power outages or other problems, "all backed up with liquid nitrogen, to keep things cold," Richards added.
One of the hallmarks of the IMP tumor and tissue bank is precise quality control. All samples are tested for cellular content as part of the aliquoting process, "so we are sure that the samples we have contain what we think they contain," said Richards. This "prospective quality analysis" is particularly important for researchers, and "is another reason for aliquoting in the first place," he added. One portion of a specimen may have a higher tumor cell content than another portion; one portion can be necrotic while another isn't. "All this information is collected as part of the process," said Richards. "As a result, we can fulfill precise requests from researchers – for example, a request for samples with 80 percent tumor cells, or a request for samples with a particular range of fibroblast content. Our setup is unique in this way, that we can provide samples with a specific range of characteristics that is critical to the research."
Previous update from Mesothelioma Information
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