Board demands biobank to tackle cancer surge

WITH cancer cases predicted to double by 2020 from 2000 levels, an expert group on behalf of the Health Research Board has demanded a national cancer biobank be set up as soon as possible to tackle the upsurge.

A cancer biobank is a carefully managed collection of tissue samples and related clinical information drawn from voluntary anonymous donors.

These samples act as a test bed to help researchers to better understand the mechanism of the disease, develop new drugs, assess the validity of diagnostic markers, and devise tailor-made therapies for the treatment of cancer.

In its report, made public yesterday, the researchers pointed out that one in three people in Ireland will develop cancer by the age of 75.

“One of the most precious resources for patient-directed cancer research is a collection of frozen and fixed tumour samples, normal tissue samples and blood or other biological fluids which are held in a biobank,” they said.

“The evidence in support of biobanks is compelling. The need to develop a biobank in Ireland has been highlighted in a number of reports, including the National Cancer Forum’s Strategy for Cancer Control. As a result of the implementation of the National Cancer Control Programme and the establishment of designated cancer centres, the opportunity now exists to develop a National Cancer Biobank offering the highest standards of sample collection, processing and distribution aimed at serving the needs of researchers and, ultimately, the needs of patients.”

The researchers said that, once established, the National Cancer Biobank should align with the eight cancer centres set up under the National Cancer Control Programme and the main paediatric hospital providing cancer care for children.

The researchers found that Ireland was lagging behind a number of countries where biobanks had either begun or were close to commencement, including Spain, the US, France, Italy, Canada, Singapore and Korea.

“A National Cancer Biobank would be a major step forward in the development of health research infrastructure in Ireland,” said Dr Anne Cody of the Health Research Board.

“If we are serious about tackling cancer, then we need to advance our research efforts linked to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. We need some critical tools in the toolbox, and a National Cancer Biobank is one of them. Irish medical researchers are already punching above their weight internationally, but they can’t maintain this into the 21st century, especially with last-century facilities.

“Many other countries have developed cancer biobanks over the last number of years, and it is important that Ireland does not lose its attractiveness to the pharmaceutical industry and to top researchers through the lack of what is increasingly seen as a basic resource.”