Familial Cancer Registry
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Services & FeesEBV transformed cell lines: Blood samples from FCR subjects are transformed into cell lines using the Epstein-Barr Virus at the Tissue Culture Shared Resource, thereby providing an unlimited amount of DNA for research. Cell lines can be linked to BRCA1/2 test results, epidemiological data, medical history information, family history information, and often tumor and/or non-tumor tissue. The FCR currently has over 1260 transformed samples.
Extracted DNA: A limited amount of extracted DNA is available for FCR subjects. Extracted DNA can be linked to BRCA1/2 test results, epidemiological data, medical history information, family history information, and often tumor and/or non-tumor tissue. Subjects for whom extracted DNA is not available may have cell lines available through the FCR from which DNA can be extracted.
Other Blood Products: Serum, plasma, buffy coat, red blood cells, and blood clot are available as frozen aliquots.
Archived tissue (tumor and non-tumor): Tissue blocks from surgeries performed on FCR subjects at Georgetown University Hospital are stored at the Histopathology and Tissue Shared Resource (HTSR) in an area set aside for FCR blocks. A limited number of tissue blocks are also available for surgeries performed at external institutions. In some cases, FCR tissue blocks can be cut according to the requesting investigator's specifications. In addition, the FCR has one H&E stained slide and 24 unstained slides of 5 microns each for surgeries performed at external institutions and for whom tissue blocks were not available. Tissue can be linked to cell lines, extracted DNA, BRCA1/2 test results, epidemiological data, medical history information, and family history information.
Familial breast cancer tissue microarray (TMA): The FCR has built five tissue microarrays (TMAs) of tumor tissue from FCR participants with known BRCA status (ie BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers and women who have tested negative for BRCA1/2 mutations). The TMA contains cores from breast cancer surgeries. In instances where axillary lymph nodes are positive, cores were taken form the involved lymph node, if available, to have paired samples from the primary in the breast and the involved lymph nodes.
Fresh tissue (tumor and non-tumor): Since only the FCR staff knows the identity of its subjects, the staff notifies interested investigators of the opportunity to procure fresh tissue samples from its high-risk population have surgery at Georgetown University Hospital. The FCR works closely with the Histopathology and Tissue Shared Resource to retrieve the tissue sample from the operating room or from the Pathology Department while maintaining the confidentiality of the FCR subject. Frozen tissue has been obtained on specimens and cell lines have been established on a number of samples. The FCR attempts to obtain cell culture, frozen undissected tissue, frozen dissected tissue, and RNA from fresh tissue samples. Tissue can be linked to cell lines, extracted DNA, BRCA1/2 test results, epidemiological data, medical history information, and family history information.
Epidemiological data: Questionnaire data is available for FCR participants with information pertaining to general health, medical conditions and procedures, alcohol consumption, exposure history, and reproductive health history. In addition, pedigrees detailing the family history of cancer are available for FCR subjects. Epidemiological data from FCR subjects can be linked to cell lines, extracted DNA, BRCA1/2 test results, and medical and family history.
Fees- $75 per sample for DNA
- $25 per sample for cell lines (may cost more depending on the type of preparation required)
- $5 per sample for minimal data linked to DNA samples and/or cell lines
- $50 per hour for data sets (for data sets produced by FCR manager and or staff).
- $75 per hour for data sets (for data sets produced by FCR Database programmer).
- $200 per TMA (tissue microarray) slide.
- Tissue and other blood product processing costs will be calculated on a case-by-case basis, depending on investigator specifications.
Prices listed are subsidized prices for Lombardi investigators. Non-LCCC investigators will be charged $10 more per service or sample.
Services for users may also be funded through a subcontract.
