Overview

The Children's Hospital at Westmead's Paediatric Tumour Bank was established to facilitate research into the causes and treatment of childhood malignancy both within the Hospital as well as to the broader scientific community in Australia and internationally. The Tumour Bank currently has available nearly 20,000 specimens from over 2,000 registered patients, representing over 50 malignancy types and subtypes. Our collection includes solid tumours specimens, whole blood, bone marrow (both whole and dried onto slides), serial leukaemia specimens as well as cerebral spinal fluid and plasma samples. The specimens have been collected during the normal course of treatment undertaken by patients. Once diagnosis is complete, any residual tissue is then transferred to cryovials, snap frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80°C. The Tumour Bank database maintains a record of each sample in our collection along with basic clinical data pertaining to the specimen. Patient confidentiality is paramount with the Tumour Bank and at no time is identifying patient information released to researchers or the public. Patient or parental consent is obtained prior to storage of the specimen.

Applications for tumour specimens from the Tumour Bank are always welcome. For further details, go to Children's Hospital at Westmead Tumour Bank, a founding member of the Australasian Biospecimens Network.

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