title: CREST biorepository for translational studies on malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and other respiratory tract diseases: Informatics infrastructure and standardized annotation.
abstract: Advances in molecular epidemiology and translational research have led to the need for biospecimen collection. The Cancer of the Respiratory Tract (CREST) biorepository is concerned with pleural malignant mesothelioma (MM) and lung cancer (LC). The biorepository staff has collected demographic and epidemiological data directly from consenting subjects using a structured questionnaire, in agreement with The Public Population Project in Genomics (P(3)G). Clinical and follow-up data were collected. Sample data were also recorded. The architecture is based on a database designed with Microsoft Access. Data standardization was carried out to conform with established conventions or procedures. As from January 31, 2011, the overall number of recruited subjects was 1,857 (454 LC, 245 MM, 130 other cancers and 1,028 controls). Due to its infrastructure, CREST was able to join international projects, sharing samples and/or data with other research groups in the field. The data management system allows CREST to be involved, through a minimum data set, in the national project for the construction of the Italian network of Oncologic BioBanks (RIBBO), and in the infrastructure of a pan-European biobank network (BBMRI). The CREST biorepository is a valuable tool for translational studies on respiratory tract diseases, because of its simple and efficient infrastructure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Biology and Genetics, University of Genoa;
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ugolini
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bennati
authors.forename: Pier Aldo
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Canessa
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lando
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leoncini
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marroni
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Parodi
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simonassi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonassi