[Organisation and use of a tumour tissue bank]

Biobanking is a well-organized, sophisticated system that consists in programmed storage of biological material and corresponding data that is accessible for scientific investigation. In this article, we briefly describe the principles of a tumour biobank; namely sample collection, storage and distribution. The key role of pathologists in the process of biobank sample selection is highlighted; it is an integral part of gross specimen handling as a diagnostic procedure. The harmonization of standard operating procedures is an important issue; the biological material stored in a biobank must be processed in a manner that allows compatibility with other biobanks. Material withdrawal must be accompanied by a Material Transfer Agreement to cover all technical and ethical/legal issues concerning the scientific utilization of the released material.