FOX CHASE BREAST CANCER TISSUE RESOURCE

A definitive evaluation of breast tumor markers has been hindered by the lack of adequate specimens. Even though systems for collecting archival tissue blocks for breast cancer have existed for many years, these resources have been of limited usefulness. The Fox Chase Breast Cancer Tissue Resource provides the foundation for a multidisciplinary, coordinated research effort. This tissue registry provides archival breast cancer tissue for the study and validation of tumor markers of breast cancer prognosis. Information on the tumor characteristics, including primary site, tumor size, histological type, tumor grade, estrogen and progesterone receptor content, lymph node status, and a general summary stage is available for each case in the registry.

In addition, information is maintained on patient characteristics, including sex, age, date of birth, race/ethnicity, admission and discharge dates, as well as information on first course treatment. Follow-up information is also maintained in the registry. We ensure that the material from the registry reaches the investigators in a timely manner and maintain quality control of the archival tissue and database.

The registry is part of the National Cancer Institute Cooperative Breast Cancer Tissue Resource. A computerized central database is maintained in Silver Spring, Maryland. The registry is a collaborative effort among Fox Chase Cancer Center and Fox Chase Network hospitals. Network hospital collaborators include:

Bon Secours-Holy Family Hospital
Charles M. Haas, Jr., M.D., Chief Pathologist
Carol Burkabile, R.N., M.E.D., O.C.N., Program Manager
Wanda Fitzpatrick, Tumor Registrar

Delaware County Memorial Hospital
Robert K. Leardi, M.D., Chief Pathologist
Marie De Stefano, R.N., M.S.N., Program Manager
Maria Donato, L.P.N., CTR, Tumor Registrar
Marianne Calvello, Pathology Assistant

Memorial Hospital of Burlington County
Allen Steinberg, M.D., Chief Pathologist
Judy Neuman, B.A., CTR, Program Manager
Teri Grand, CCRA, Clinical Research Associate
Dolores Melnick, CTR, Tumor Registrar
Stella Szymanski, CTR, Tumor Registrar

Paoli Memorial Hospital
Joseph A. De Colli, M.D., Chief Pathologist
Rick Ruscitto, H.T.L., Histotechnologist
Rosheen McCutcheon, R.N., O.C.N., Program Manager
Carole Vincent, CTR, Tumor Registrar
Polyclinic Medical Center
Frank Rudy, M.D., Chief Pathologist
Barbara Delaney, H.T.L., Histotechnologist
Betsy Kopp, R.N., M.S., Program Manager
Barbara Segina, CTR, Tumor Registrar

Riverview Medical Center
Edwin Leschhorn, M.D., Pathologist
Ana Garcia, H.T.L., Histotechnologist
Kim A. Mazzie, R.N., M.A., Program Manager
Claire Marino, CTR, Tumor Registrar

Saint Francis Medical Center
Robert Moser, M.D., Chief Pathologist
Je Song, M.D., Surgical Resident
Kathy Halaycio, R.N., O.C.N., Program Manager
Kathleen Diszler, I.N., CTR, Tumor Registrar
Margaret Zeis, R.N., Research Coordinator

Saint Luke's Hospital
Santo Longo, M.D., Chief Pathologist
Sandy Tucker, H.T.L., (ASCP), Histotechnologist
Patricia B. Herman, R.N., M.S.N., Program Manager
Sally Boyer, B.A., M.S., Tumor Registrar

Saint Mary Hospital
Christopher Frauenhoffer, M.D., Chief Pathologist
Li Hui, Ph.D., Histotechnologist
Vicky Farrell, R.N., O.C.N., Program Manager
Donna Dion, CTR, Tumor Registrar

During the last five years, 2,861 primary breast cancer cases have been entered into our database. A total of 7,309 blocks of paraffin-embedded breast cancer tissue have been collected. The cases have been re-examined by pathologists in each Network hospital and re-evaluated histopathologically according to the criteria established by the NCI registry. Clinical data and follow up information are available for all these cases.

Of the cases entered in our database, 66% are invasive carcinomas, 9% are in situ carcinomas, and 25% have both an in situ and an invasive component. There are 886 cases of lymph node positive invasive carcinoma, 1307 cases of lymph node negative invasive carcinoma, and 409 cases of unknown lymph node status. Most of the cases of in situ carcinoma only are lymph node negative (54%), with only 2% lymph node positive, and 44% unknown. At 85%, the vast majority of the invasive carcinomas are ductal, not otherwise specified. When in situ carcinomas are divided by histotype, 47% are non-comedo type, 27% are comedo type, and 26% are other types.

The Resource can provide tissue sections from large numbers of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded primary breast cancer to meet the requirements of a particular research project. The specimens and data are available to the scientific community for research studies. The collection is particularly well-suited for validation studies of diagnostic and prognostic markers.

Illustrations or unpublished data in these reports should not be used without permission of the author.

Fox Chase Cancer Center

Scientific Report 1998