Peritumoral tissue (PTT): increasing need for naming convention

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biopathology
• Genomics

Background:

• Non-malignant tissues near tumors, traditionally termed "normal adjacent tissue," are now recognized as distinct from healthy tissue due to OMIC advancements.
• These peritumoral tissues play an increasingly studied role in cancer development and progression.
• Current research faces challenges due to inconsistent terminology and limited data accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for a standardized naming convention for non-malignant tissues adjacent to tumors.
• To introduce and define the term "Peritumoral Tissue" (PTT) as a neutral and comprehensive descriptor.
• To propose guidelines for documenting sample collection to enhance data reuse in cancer research.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and analysis of current terminology in cancer research.
• Proposal of a standardized nomenclature system.
• Development of recommendations for sample collection documentation.

Main Results:

• Identification of the need for a standardized term to replace ambiguous nomenclature.
• Proposal of "Peritumoral Tissue" (PTT) as the recommended term.
• Establishment of key features for documenting sample collection procedures to facilitate data reuse.

Conclusions:

• Standardized terminology, such as PTT, is crucial for harmonizing cancer research.
• Clear documentation of sample collection procedures is essential for maximizing the utility of existing and future datasets.
• Adoption of these recommendations can improve the accessibility and reproducibility of peritumoral tissue research.