Tumor Specimen Biobanks: Data Gaps for Analyzing Health Inequities-the Case of Breast Cancer

JNCI Cancer Spectrum
Nancy Krieger, Jaquelyn L Jahn

Abstract

Biobanks are increasingly recognized to be vital for analyzing tumor properties, treatment options, and clinical prognosis, yet few data exist on whether they are equipped to enable research on cancer inequities, that is, unfair and unnecessary social group differences in health. We conducted a systematic search of global biobanks, identified 46 that have breast tumor tissue and share data externally with academic researchers, and e-mailed and called to obtain data on the sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and geospatial data included, plus time span encompassed. Among the 32 biobank respondents, 91% housed specimens solely from the Global North, only 31% obtained socioeconomic data, 63% included racial/ethnic data (of which 55% lacked socioeconomic data), 44% included limited geographic data, and 55% had specimens dating back at most to 2000. To enable research to address cancer inequities, including trends over time, biobanks will need to address the data gaps documented by our study.

References

Mar 21, 2003·Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health·P Braveman, S Gruskin
Nov 1, 2005·American Journal of Public Health·Nancy Krieger
Nov 28, 2013·BMC Public Health·Medea Imboden, Nicole M Probst-Hensch
Aug 1, 2012·Biopreservation and Biobanking·Loreana NorlinJan-Eric Litton
Oct 1, 2015·Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology·Joseph N RobertsNigel T Brockton
Oct 31, 2015·Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology·Jim Vaught
Mar 16, 2016·Biopreservation and Biobanking·Roxana Merino-MartinezJan-Eric Litton
Dec 19, 2016·Cancer Causes & Control : CCC·Nancy KriegerPamela D Waterman
Mar 23, 2017·Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention : a Publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, Cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology·Nancy Krieger

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
biopsies
biopsy

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