title: SEER cancer registry biospecimen research: yesterday and tomorrow.
abstract: The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries have been a source of biospecimens for cancer research for decades. Recently, registry-based biospecimen studies have become more practical, with the expansion of electronic networks for pathology and medical record reporting. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens are now used for next-generation sequencing and other molecular techniques. These developments create new opportunities for SEER biospecimen research. We evaluated 31 research articles published during 2005 to 2013 based on authors' confirmation that these studies involved linkage of SEER data to biospecimens. Rather than providing an exhaustive review of all possible articles, our intent was to indicate the breadth of research made possible by such a resource. We also summarize responses to a 2012 questionnaire that was broadly distributed to the NCI intra- and extramural biospecimen research community. This included responses from 30 investigators who had used SEER biospecimens in their research. The survey was not intended to be a systematic sample, but instead to provide anecdotal insight on strengths, limitations, and the future of SEER biospecimen research. Identified strengths of this research resource include biospecimen availability, cost, and annotation of data, including demographic information, stage, and survival. Shortcomings include limited annotation of clinical attributes such as detailed chemotherapy history and recurrence, and timeliness of turnaround following biospecimen requests. A review of selected SEER biospecimen articles, investigator feedback, and technological advances reinforced our view that SEER biospecimen resources should be developed. This would advance cancer biology, etiology, and personalized therapy research. See all the articles in this CEBP Focus section, "Biomarkers, Biospecimens, and New Technologies in Molecular Epidemiology." Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(12); 2681-7. ©2014 AACR.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, Maryland. altekrusesf@mail.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Sean F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Altekruse
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Gabriel E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Danielle M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Carrick
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Emilee J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Pressman
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Sheri D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Schully
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Leah E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Mechanic
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.affiliation: University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, Hawaii.
authors.forename: Brenda Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Charles F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC), USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California. Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC), USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cozen
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, Maryland. Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Muin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: Lynne T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Penberthy
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D054547:National Cancer Institute (U.S.); D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018426:SEER Program; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States