Longitudinal studies nested in biobanks enable more reliable and efficient study designs for molecular epidemiology studies, both for design and evaluation of cancer treatment and cancer prevention as well as for exploring and evaluating etiologic hypotheses. However, several prerequisites apply: -There must exist very large scale biobanks who should already have several decades of follow-up. -It must be possible to link biobanks with quality-assured population-based cancer registries to enable population-representative studies with minimal case ascertainment bias. -Important problems regarding overview, accessibility, quality control, phenotypic characterisation, efficiency and avoiding risks for violation of personal integrity must be addressed The present network has joined large biobänks with up to 30 years of follow-up and >60.000 prospectively occurring cancer cases and cancer registries with >40 years of population-based registration, to achieve the following goals: 1. Provide the study base for uniquely large population-based prospective studies on cancer 2. Define and implement a European Quality Standard for Biobanking 3. Define and promote the implementation of integrity-proof methods for biobank-based research involving well defined and secure third party code-keeping systems. 4. Enable large-scale, population-based research on: a) evaluation of cancer treatment and role of molecular markers in treatment selection b) identification and evaluation of genetic markers associated with increased cancer risk using over-generation linkages c) exploration and evaluation of intrauterine exposures associated with increased cancer risk using over- generation linkages and d) design of optimal strategies for cancer prevention and its evaluation 5. Establish a Europe-wide network for spreading the awareness of possibilities and best practise quality standards for biobank-based research.
Keywords:
Cancer prevention, etiology and treatment; Molecular Epidemiology; Integrity
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