Genomic and proteomic researchers need treatment naïve specimens. In the United States and other developed countries, surgery is no longer the primary intervention for cancer.  Patients often receive pre-surgical treatment (chemo, radiation or other therapies) that can limit the usefulness of the surgical specimens for certain types of research. 

     Researchers also need specimens that are collected and snap frozen with short ischemic times (cross clamp to snap freeze).  Advanced surgical procedures such as sentinel node breast cancer surgery, while excellent for the patient, renders the resulting tissue useless for research purposes as it is injected with either a radioactive tracer or a dye.  Even calling for a frozen section to assure that the surgeon has clean margins, takes approximately 20 minutes.  With the cross clamp in place, the resulting ischemic time it too long. Even the type of anesthetic used and the length of time the patient is under can affect the viability of the specimen for certain types of research.    

     In developing countries, surgery is normally the primary intervention.  Surgeries are fast, producing relatively large gross specimens and the pathology staff is on standby to receive process and preserve the specimens rapidly after removal.  Many components required for genomic and proteomic analysis and study (i.e. mRNA) are temperature liable. If 30 minutes or more expire before snap freezing, the level of these components is so low that the specimen is of limited value. ILSBio’s specimen processing time averages 12 to 16 minutes, assuring a high RIN (RNA Integrity Number).

Unfortunately, because these countries do not have broad based screening and prevention programs in place (i.e. mammography, Pap tests or colonoscopy). Tumors are often discovered in advanced stages.  The resulting surgical specimens tend to be very large.

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