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CCPRB<br />
<strong>Cancer</strong> Control using Population-based<br />
Registries and Biobanks<br />
Summary<br />
This Network of Excellence project is aimed at improved<br />
control of cancer by facilitating research linking bio banks<br />
and cancer registries. The project involves a systematic<br />
quality assurance of European bio banks, as well as improved<br />
integrity-protection in the handling of sensitive information<br />
in connection with bio bank-based research. The samples in<br />
the biobanks will be used in large-scale cancer research<br />
searching for genetic and infectious causes to cancer, particularly<br />
in the areas of breast and colorectal cancer, and<br />
childhood leukaemias.<br />
Problem<br />
Longitudinal studies nested in biobanks enable more reliable<br />
and effi cient study designs, for both design and evaluation<br />
of cancer treatment and cancer prevention, as well as for<br />
exploring and evaluating etiologic hypotheses. However,<br />
several prerequisites apply:<br />
• there must be very large-scale biobanks in place that<br />
should already have information dating back several<br />
decades;<br />
• it must be possible to link biobanks with quality-assured,<br />
population-based cancer registries to enable populationrepresentative<br />
studies with minimal case ascertainment<br />
bias;<br />
• important problems regarding overview, accessibility,<br />
quality control, phenotypic characterisation, effi ciency<br />
and avoiding risks for violation of personal integrity must<br />
be addressed.<br />
Aim<br />
The objective is to achieve improved control of cancer by<br />
facilitating research that links biobanks and cancer<br />
registries.<br />
232<br />
Keywords | Biobank | registries | population-based | standards | harmonisation | quality assurance |<br />
genetic epidemiology | infections |<br />
Expected results<br />
• Provide the study base for uniquely large populationbased<br />
prospective studies on cancer.<br />
• Defi ne and implement a European Quality Standard for<br />
Biobanking.<br />
• Defi ne and promote the implementation of integrity-proof<br />
methods for biobank-based research involving welldefi<br />
ned and secure thirdparty code-keeping systems.<br />
• Establish a Europe-wide network for spreading the awareness<br />
of possibilities and best practice quality standards<br />
for biobank-based research.<br />
Potential applications<br />
Large-scale, population-based research will be enabled on:<br />
• evaluation of cancer treatment and role of molecular<br />
markers in treatment selection;<br />
• identifi cation and evaluation of genetic markers associated<br />
with increased cancer risk using over-generation<br />
linkages;<br />
• exploration and evaluation of intrauterine exposures associated<br />
with increased cancer risk using over-generation<br />
linkages;<br />
• design of optimal strategies for cancer prevention and<br />
its evaluation.<br />
The samples in the prospective research biobanks are allocated into colour-coded tubes<br />
(buff y coat, EDTA-plasma, heparin-plasma, etc.).<br />
CANCER RESEARCH PROJECTS FUNDED UNDER THE SIXTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME
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