Overview: Collection, Services & Support

Biospecimen Collection

The distinctive feature of Ontario Tumour Bank is direct control over every aspect of collection, storage and access to an extensive inventory of cancer biospecimens with rich, yet de-identified, clinical data.

What we offer

Fresh frozen tissue, paraffin-embedded tissue sections, peripheral blood fractions and derivative products such as tissue microarrays (TMA), DNA, and RNA – all with detailed de-identified clinical data.

Biospecimens

  • Fresh-frozen tumour tissue
  • Paraffin-embedded tissue
  • Peripheral blood (buffy coat, plasma & cell-free plasma)

Available Clinical Data

  • Histopathology
  • Patient history
  • Family history
  • Surgery
  • Systemic therapy
  • Radiotherapy
  • Outcome/follow-up

Quality

OTB practices and procedures are designed to maximize the molecular and histological quality of the samples and accuracy of accompanying clinical data.

How do I request samples?

The application process is designed to be easy and straightforward while maintaining compliance with ethical standards and regulation.

Access Fees

Accessing materials from Ontario Tumour Bank is a cost-effective way to source biospecimens.