Tumor Bank
Encyclopedia
A Tumor Bank, as used in this article, is a term commonly used to describe a service that collects, stores and distributes fresh human tumor tissue for the purposes of biomedical research, primarily cancer research.
A Tumor Bank is sometimes also referred to as a Tissue Bank, since normal tissues for research are also often collected. However, this function is distinct from a Tissue Bank
which collects and harvests human cadaver tissue for medical research and education, and banks which store Biomedical tissue
for organ transplantation.
), or formalin which preserved tissue architecture.
Many Cancer Centers
in the U.S. have a Tumor Bank to supply biomedical scientists with actual patient samples of cancer and associated adjacent normal tissue.
This process is currently a high priority to support more Translational Research
.
A Tumor Bank is sometimes also referred to as a Tissue Bank, since normal tissues for research are also often collected. However, this function is distinct from a Tissue Bank
Tissue bank
A Tissue Bank, as used in this article, is a term most commonly used to describe an establishment that collects and harvests human cadaver tissue for the purposes of medical research and education....
which collects and harvests human cadaver tissue for medical research and education, and banks which store Biomedical tissue
Biomedical tissue
Biomedical tissue is biological tissue used for organ transplantation and medical research, particularly cancer research.Such tissues and organs may be referred to as: implant tissue, allograft, xenograft, skin graft tissue, human transplant tissue, implant bone. Tissue is stored in tissue...
for organ transplantation.
Cancer Samples
Most tumor banks collect their tumor samples from discarded tissues not needed for pathologic diagnosis, after patients undergo surgery to remove the tumor. The tissue is often snap frozen in liquid nitrogen but may also be preserved in special fixative such as RNAlater (which preserves RNARNA
Ribonucleic acid , or RNA, is one of the three major macromolecules that are essential for all known forms of life....
), or formalin which preserved tissue architecture.
Many Cancer Centers
NCI-designated Cancer Center
NCI-designated Cancer Centers are a group of approximately 66 cancer research institutions in the United States supported by the National Cancer Institute....
in the U.S. have a Tumor Bank to supply biomedical scientists with actual patient samples of cancer and associated adjacent normal tissue.
This process is currently a high priority to support more Translational Research
Translational research
Translational research is a way of thinking about and conducting scientific research to make the results of research applicable to the population under study and is practised in the natural and biological, behavioural, and social sciences...
.