Establishment of a Clinic-based Biorepository

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biorepository Science
• Dermatopathology

Background:

• Rising incidence of skin cancers (squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, melanoma) necessitates increased demand for research samples.
• Limited tissue availability due to biorepository costs and lack of integrated sample collection protocols hinders biomedical research.
• Existing clinical workflows present challenges for obtaining high-quality biological samples for research purposes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an efficient protocol for collecting cutaneous tumor, blood, and saliva samples.
• To create a clinical biorepository with minimal impact on Mohs surgery operations.
• To facilitate access to de-identified patient data and diverse sample types for research.

Main Methods:

• Tumor samples collected during the initial Mohs surgery layer by the histotechnologist.
• Adjacent normal tissue obtained during surgical closure.
• Whole-blood and buccal swabs collected as additional samples.
• Integration of sample collection into routine Mohs surgery procedures.

Main Results:

• A biorepository was successfully generated by utilizing normally discarded tissue.
• The protocol demonstrated minimal disruption to standard clinical procedures.
• The biorepository provides access to a wide range of samples and de-identified patient records.
• The clinic-based setting offers advantages for sample acquisition and patient follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The developed protocol effectively supports the creation of a valuable biorepository for skin cancer research.
• This integrated approach enhances tissue availability for biomedical studies.
• The clinic-based biorepository model offers significant advantages for sample collection and research accessibility.