Friday 27 January 2012

UK’s first national breast cancer tissue bank opens vaults to all

Breast cancer research has been given a massive boost as the UK’s first national breast cancer tissue bank today opens its vaults of precious breast cancer tissue, to all researchers in the UK and Ireland.

Funded by research charity Breast Cancer Campaign, this revolutionary new central bank, a unique collaboration of four leading research institutions and the NHS - including Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust - stores donor’s breast tissue samples, along with blood samples and information about the donor’s breast cancer.

From these samples, researchers can gather vital information about the cancer and its characteristics, and the patient’s family history, treatments, and over time, their effectiveness, and whether the disease progresses or recurs.

Historically, ready access to suitable tissue samples and materials for breast cancer research has been a major obstacle to translating science into new treatments. Following a wide scale review led by Breast Cancer Campaign and involving over 50 of the world's leading breast cancer researchers, it became apparent that the main barrier to progress in breast cancer research was a shortage of good quality tissue.

Scientists could spend many months tracking down the right tissue samples for their research, increasing the time it takes to translate findings into patient benefit. The Breast Cancer Campaign Tissue Bank emerged as a result of this review.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive, Breast Cancer Campaign said: “Breast cancer researchers in the UK and Ireland have been crying out for this resource for many years.  The Tissue Bank will provide a source of precious human breast tissue and puts an end to the serious access problems of the past.

“We are so grateful to all the women and men who have donated their tissue to the Bank and the support from founding partners Asda’s Tickled Pink and the charity Walk the Walk which have both donated £2 million to make this project happen. With their help this unique new initiative will revolutionise breast cancer research and ultimately save lives.”

Scientists can apply for tissue samples using an online portal with an advanced bioinformatics facility, whatever their funding stream or location in the UK or Ireland.

Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts said: “The Breast Cancer Campaign Tissue Bank is a fantastic example of how an innovative idea from researchers can become a reality. Collaborative working between the voluntary sector, universities and the NHS has culminated in a unique project that will not only make a real difference to scientists, but also has the potential to improve health and save lives.”

Professor Alastair Thompson, Chair of the Tissue Bank Management Board and Professor of Surgical Oncology, University of Dundee said: “We hope that in the next decade the Breast Cancer Campaign Tissue Bank will have the same impact as the use of drugs such as tamoxifen, radiotherapy, good quality surgery and chemotherapy in reducing mortality for breast cancer.

“Around 48,000 women and 300 men in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. We hope that the day will come when everyone diagnosed with the disease is given the opportunity to donate this precious commodity to our Tissue Bank, it is vital to research and vital to a cure.”

The Breast Cancer Campaign Tissue Bank currently houses around 2,500 patient samples in its collection. Women are asked to consent to donate their tissue when they are diagnosed with breast cancer. This does not impact on their diagnosis or treatment in any way as only the tissue not required for diagnosis is donated to the Bank. Currently tissue can only be donated at the collaborating centres:

• The University of Dundee/NHS Tayside
• University of Nottingham/Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
• University of Leeds
• The Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary, University of London/Barts and the London NHS Trust.

However new collaborating centres will be joining the network in the coming months. To see what makes this crucial resource tick and how it will speed up breast cancer research from the laboratory to the clinic, watch the video at the link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnMYBYd6IV4

ENDS