Purpose: To examine the feasibility of establishing a biobanking program at a tertiary VA facility
Background/Rationale: Biobanking holds promise for the discovery of new biomarkers and development of targeted therapy through access to large amounts of molecular and electronic health record data. The Department of Defense’s (DOD) John P. Murtha Cancer Center (MCC), of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, provided funding for a pilot biobanking implementation at a VA facility in hopes of facilitating a VA-wide biobank network to support federal research initiatives.
Methods: After funding and staff resources were secured, four months were required to complete contract negotiation, regulatory review, and a comprehensive assessment of inter-departmental operational requirements. We initiated with two different surgical specialties—thoracic and gastrointestinal oncology—for the initial stage to establish the system and process flow of the tissue procurement protocol, from pre-operative case screening and consenting to specimen collection (blood, urine, tissue) and tissue storage.
Results: From its inception in March 2018 through May 2018, monthly consent numbers were 1, 2, and 7, respectively. From these, fresh specimen collection occurred in most (6 patients with 8 tumor aliquots). Blood collection and questionnaire completion were obtained in all patients. All samples were shipped safely to the long-term storage facility of the MCC and therefore ready for distribution for researchers.
Conclusions: We are now ready to move beyond the pilot stage by including other cancer types. Our goal is to collect biospecimens on 2 cases per week or 100 cases per year. From preparation to implementation, we learned the success of the program relies heavily on adequate funding, supportive leadership with surgery, pathology, and oncology buy-in and proactive communication among the team members. We conclude that establishing a VA nationwide oncology biobanking program that mirrors that of the DOD is feasible, with high potential merit for veterans and civilians alike.
