Collecting tissue for research purposes: A survey of 16 institutions in the Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium (TBCRC).

Donating Tissue for Research: Patient and Provider Perspectives

“…An average of 80% of patients at these sites are approached about donating specimens, and only 20% decline. 4 These data are an important reminder that consent rates are typically high if patients are made aware of the opportunity to donate tissue for the purpose of research.…”

Connectors, Translators, Facilitators: Research Advocacy Today

“…As core members of the TBCRC, the advocates work with researchers to develop and implement biologically driven translational and clinical research. 3,4 The Metastatic Breast Cancer Network asked an advocate from the Breast Committee of ECOG (now combined with the American College of Radiology Imaging Network to become the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group) why some patients with metastatic breast cancer live longer than the average of 2 to 3 years after diagnosis. When the advocate brought the question forward, ECOG conducted a retrospective study of 12 phase III adjuvant breast trials, looking at survival after first recurrence with metastatic disease and identifying patient subsets who had survived 5 and 10 years.…”