The Biosample Repository The Biosample Repository

Biosample repository

The Biosample Repository Facility (BRF) established in 1999 coordinates the ethical collection, storage, annotation and distribution of human biospecimens under Institutional Review Board-approved protocols. We provide tissue-based research services to support translational and basic research. The facility can link associated clinical data and interventions, patient and family cancer history data, and lifestyle factors to donated biospecimens. To learn more about the Biosample Repository please visit us on  foxchase.org

If you are a Biosample Repository participant please Sign In to continue to the Family History and Health History Questionnaire pages. If you have any question about the Biosample Repository or Participant Portal please contact Biosample.Repository@fccc.edu

Table 1. Specimens processed by the Biosample Repository Facility (BRF).
Category Number of unique participants Number of specimens
Blood* 52901 79405
Tissue 21039 24119
* Includes specimens collected for the BRF, Risk Assessment Program and Investigator Protocols
Table 2. Biosample Repository Facility (BRF) Specimen inventory by major disease site
Specimen inventory by major disease site.

FCCC/TUHS staff please use links below to browse inventory and request specimens
Category Disease site Number of cases* Cases with blood specimens** Cases with tumor# tissue Cases with tumor# and NAT##
Breast Breast 6015 5195 1504 1070
GI Anal 88 81 17 8
GI Appendix 93 77 36 10
GI Colon 1658 1084 1130 937
GI Esophageal 456 439 55 41
GI Gallbladder 66 59 13 5
GI Liver 277 227 143 108
GI Other Soft Tissue Sarcoma 11 10 4 0
GI Pancreatic 644 525 290 134
GI Rectal 603 510 193 154
GI Stomach 406 330 149 105
GU Bladder 2106 1932 480 319
GU Kidney 2904 2342 2388 1088
GU Penile 64 59 24 1
GU Prostate 4908 4194 2116 1329
GU Testicular 240 196 126 41
GU Upper Tract Urothelial 324 281 151 99
GYN Cervical 396 370 60 22
GYN Other Soft Tissue Sarcoma 1 0 0 0
GYN Ovary/Fallopian tube/Retroperitoneum/Peritoneum 1178 807 861 106
GYN Uterine 1625 1283 984 424
GYN Vulvar and Vaginal 287 274 45 11
HN Head, face or neck, NOS 9 6 4 1
HN Larynx 182 151 49 7
HN Mouth or gum 390 344 129 14
HN Nasal cavity and Middle Ear 17 15 5 1
HN Oropharynx 28 26 5 1
HN Other Head and Neck 109 94 30 1
HN Pyriform Sinus 26 21 10 3
HN Salivary 99 78 53 15
HN Thyroid 796 696 351 204
HN Tongue 524 471 167 44
HN Tonsil 222 207 51 4
Lung Lung 2966 2300 1547 1318
Other Other Soft Tissue Sarcoma 2 1 1 0
Sarcoma Bone Sarcoma 54 31 39 8
Sarcoma Other Sarcoma 8 7 4 0
Sarcoma Stomach Sarcoma 147 100 95 13
Sarcoma Uterine Sarcoma 90 62 53 18
Skin Other Soft Tissue Sarcoma 63 44 39 15
Skin Skin 2507 2174 732 171

* Unique patient participants consented to the BRF with either blood or tumor tissue linked to diagnosis at the Fox Chance Cancer Center tumor registry
** Blood specimens include serum, plasma, leukocytes and/or DNA
# Primary and/or metastatic lesions (FFPE and/or frozen)
## Normal adjacent tissue specimens (FFPE and/or frozen)