title: Factors that may influence the willingness of cancer patients to consent for biobanking.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Broad or general consent given by cancer patients for their tissue, blood, and clinical information to be stored in institutional biorepositories is fundamental to enable future ethical translational cancer research. The decision to consent for biobanking will contribute to the development of advanced diagnostic and prognostic tests, as well as new therapies to improve patient outcomes. While the rate of patient participation in biobanking programs is generally reported as high worldwide, few studies have investigated factors that may influence this decision. Biobanking at our medical research institute, an associated public (government-run) university hospital, and private hospital has been established for over 20 years, with collection of certain tumor types embedded in the research culture of these institutions. In this study, we investigated factors that may influence a cancer patient's decision to give broad consent for biobanking of their specimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on patient consent were collected over a 6-month period from both government and private hospitals associated with our medical research institute. Factors considered included gender, patient age at surgery, type of malignancy (breast, duodenal, cervical, endometrial, gastric, liver, esophageal, ovarian, pancreatic, pelvic, uterine, or vulval), type of institution where surgery was performed, and timing of consent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 171 cancer patients, 159 (93%) gave broad consent for biobanking of their tissue and blood specimens for future cancer research projects receiving ethical and scientific approval. None of the factors analyzed was shown to influence a patient's decision to contribute biological specimens and clinical data to a biorepository for future medical research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Biobanking for future ethically and scientifically approved research projects in an established institution is an initiative that receives strong support from patients undergoing cancer surgery, independent of factors including gender, age, type of tumor, type of institution where surgery was performed, or timing of consent.
authors.affiliation: Hormones and Cancer Group, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney , Sydney, Australia .
authors.forename: Ussha
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wilkins
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Baxter
authors.forename: Diana E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Benn
authors.forename: Nicole R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Ross C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Marsh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018070:Biological Specimen Banks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*