The Australian Breast Cancer Tissue Bank (ABCTB)

Project description Lack of high quality breast cancer tissue and attendant clinical information has been a major impediment for those working in the field of breast cancer research. In response to these needs the Australian Breast Cancer Tissue Bank was established with the support of major Australian funding bodies. The aims of the resource were to establish a standardised framework for the ethical and appropriate recruitment of breast cancer tissue donors; to collect and store cancer and matched normal tissue, blood and associated standardised clinical, longitudinal and outcome data from breast cancer patients; and to make material available for basic and translational research [1]. Operating principles are based on best practice guidelines [2], and encompass two significant strategic features: Integration of tissue banking into clinical practice; and the development and adoption of web-based data management solutions [3]. Both tissue and blood samples are collected and stored and a central processing laboratory is able to perform DNA and RNA extractions, sectioning of tissue, creation of Tissue Micro Arrays (TMAs) and digital imaging of stained sections of tumour. The latter are made available for viewing on the ABCTB website [4] so that researchers can review and select individual cases. Data is collected via both electronic and manual methods. The ABCTB developed an auditing tool within its database to ensure accuracy of key data fields and maintain data integrity [5]. The ABCTB participates in consortia studies such as the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) and the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Consortia (TNBC). This allows ABCTB samples to be pooled in very large cohort studies [6, 7].

Lack of high quality breast cancer tissue and attendant clinical information has been a major impediment for those working in the field of breast cancer research. In response to these needs the Australian Breast Cancer Tissue Bank was established with the support of major Australian funding bodies.
The aims of the resource were to establish a standardised framework for the ethical and appropriate recruitment of breast cancer tissue donors; to collect and store cancer and matched normal tissue, blood and associated standardised clinical, longitudinal and outcome data from breast cancer patients; and to make material available for basic and translational research [1]. Operating principles are based on best practice guidelines [2], and encompass two significant strategic features: Integration of tissue banking into clinical practice; and the development and adoption of web-based data management solutions [3].
Both tissue and blood samples are collected and stored and a central processing laboratory is able to perform DNA and RNA extractions, sectioning of tissue, creation of Tissue Micro Arrays (TMAs) and digital imaging of stained sections of tumour. The latter are made available for viewing on the ABCTB website [4] so that researchers can review and select individual cases. Data is collected via both electronic and manual methods. The ABCTB developed an auditing tool within its database to ensure accuracy of key data fields and maintain data integrity [5]. The ABCTB participates in consortia studies such as the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) and the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Consortia (TNBC). This allows ABCTB samples to be pooled in very large cohort studies [6,7].

Classification (2)
Biological samples and associated data.

Context Spatial coverage
ABCTB consists of a central management hub located at the Westmead Millennium Institute in New South Wales, Australia, with collection centres and affiliate sites distributed across Australia [1].

Collection Centres
• The ABCTB was established in 2006 as an open access, not for profit resource dedicated to providing biospecimens and/or data to both national and international research projects in the field of breast cancer. Donors are consented according to standard ethical principles for use of their material for unspecified future research. ABCTB collects fully annotated clinical samples and associated clinical and longitudinal data from donors. Material and data is supplied to research projects. The main ethical multi-site approval for the ABCTB is provided by the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Zone Ethics Committee in New South Wales, Australia.
Protocol No X12-0279 (prev X08-0124) & HERC/08/ RPAH/215 -"Australian Breast Cancer Tissue Bank". Multisite approval was initiated on 6/08/2008. Prior to this date, collection sites had individual approvals in place. All collection/affiliate sites also have site specific ethical approvals. Samples are intended to be stored indefinitely.

Constraints
Funds supporting the resource are mostly via competitive research grants and of short term duration. Planning for long term operational activities is difficult with lack of financial security. Has been open for applications since 2008.

Access criteria
Applications to the resource are initiated by the researcher by submission of an on line Expression of Interest. This is reviewed by the ABCTB and if the material and/or data are available and the project meets ABCTB criteria a full application is invited. The researcher is provided with a log in to complete the application on line, which also allows upload of required documents such as evidence of funding and ethical approvals. Following receipt of a full application, all applications for material and data must be assessed and approved by the ABCTB Access Committee to comply with scientific standards. Independent scientific review is sought for project evaluation.
All applications must have ethical approval for the proposed research and must enter into an MTA with the ABCTB before the material is released [3]. A partial cost recovery mechanism is in place (http://www.abctb.org. au/abctbNew2/Cost_recovery_Schedule_Dec_2010.pdf). At the conclusion of the project, any data generated must be returned to the ABCTB and this is made available for other users.

(4) Reuse potential
Specimens are provided to projects on a non-exclusive basis therefore samples from the same donor may be used in several different projects. If the researcher requires DNA and/or RNA this is extracted by the ABCTB preserving the bulk of the specimen to be available for other research projects.