Biobanking for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Biobanking is important and fundamental for research and personalized medicine in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The process often involves prospective collection of surgically obtained tissues (tissue banking) as well as serial blood samples (liquid biopsies) from the patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Apart from frozen tissues, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues are important sources of translational research. Careful planning and selection of the region of the paraffin-embedded tissues will maximize the use of tissue for molecular studies. Both cancer and non-cancer samples (controls) could be collected. The success and sustainability of the process needs proper infrastructure, advanced planning, funding, and multidisciplinary collaborations. The understanding of the principles and issues are detrimental for the success of biobanking. The technical procedures involved are standardized, complex, and time-consuming and needs coordinated taskforce.