Tissue and Blood Collections

Author
Prof Colin Cooper csc@icr.ac.uk
Institute of Cancer Research

The Collaborative has already put in place, through the British Prostate Group, a network of nearly 200 collaborators throughout the UK for collecting bloods from prostate cancer cases. With NCRI support we are constructing databases of clinical information for the samples collected through this network and develop this network for the collection of formalin preserved material and fresh prostatectomy and biopsy material. Because of the focal nature of prostate cancer the preparation of DNA and RNA for cancer specimens must be closely linked to expert histopathology and microdissection capabilities that are already in place at the University of Liverpool. The following collections of clinical information with linked databases have or are being put in place and will be a part of this national resource.

1. Systematically collected series
Bloods are being systematically collected from all men with prostate cancer who attend the RMNHST. Currently 1046 cases have been entered into this collection and clinical details for all cases are available on the RMNHST clinical database.

2. Young men with prostate cancer
Bloods from cases less that 60 years of age are being collected through our UK network. Currently around 300 cases have been entered into this series, which is used to screen candidate predisposition genes (such as BrCa2).

3. Biopsy specimens
The RMNHST has recently set up a dedicated Early Screening Centre. It is our intention to collect core biopsies from all individuals found to have a raised PSA who are biopsied at the centre. Around 20% of these cases would be expected to have prostate cancer and clinical details of these cases will be collected.

4. Tumour series for the cancer genome project
We need to collect a series of 40 microdissected fresh prostatectomy specimens from which significant amounts of DNA can be prepared (50mg) for use in the Cancer Genome Project. This is currently being achieved through links to Dr Kovacs in the University of Heidelberg and Professor Chris Foster in Liverpool.

5. Tumour series for molecular pathology studies
We are putting in place a collection of 500 DNAs prepared by microdissecting tumour tissue from both fresh and formalin fixed prostate specimens for mutational screening. We also wish to collect a similar set of 200 RNA specimens from microdissected fresh tissue for use in microarray studies. This is being achieved through our existing UK collaboration network and currently 120 DNAs and 12 RNAs have been entered into this collection. CRFF support is required to accelerate the collection and to set up linked databases of clinical information.

6. Tissue arrays
We are planning to collect through existing UK networks formalin fixed material from 500 prostatectomy specimens for tissue array work and build up parallel databases of clinical information. This collection will include 100 cases from prostate cancer families. Currently 70 familial and 200 sporadic cases have been identified, particularly through links to Dr C Corbishley at St George's Hospital and Mr Tim Christmas at Charing Cross Hospital. See the separate page on tissue arrays for more information.