Biological material collection to advance translational research and treatment of children with CNS tumours: position paper from the SIOPE Brain Tumour Group.

Rutkowski S1, Modena P2, Williamson D3, Kerl K4, Nysom K5, Pizer B6, Bartels U7, Puget S8, Doz F9, Michalski A10, von Hoff K11, Chevignard M12, Avula S13, Murray MJ14, Schönberger S15, Czech T16, Schouten-van Meeteren AYN17, Kordes U18, Kramm CM19, van Vuurden DG20, Hulleman E21, Janssens GO22, Solanki GA23, van Veelen MC24, Thomale U25, Schuhmann MU26, Jones C27, Giangaspero F28, Figarella-Branger D29, Pietsch T30, Clifford SC3, Pfister SM31, Van Gool SW32.

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Abstract

Paediatric CNS tumours are the most common cause of childhood cancer-related morbidity and mortality, and improvements in their diagnosis and treatment are needed. New genetic and epigenetic information about paediatric CNS tumours is transforming the field dramatically. For most paediatric CNS tumour entities, subgroups with distinct biological characteristics have been identified, and these characteristics are increasingly used to facilitate accurate diagnoses and therapeutic recommendations. Future treatments will be further tailored to specific molecular subtypes of disease, specific tumour predisposition syndromes, and other biological criteria. Successful biomaterial collection is a key requirement for the application of contemporary methodologies for the validation of candidate prognostic factors, the discovery of new biomarkers, the establishment of appropriate preclinical research models for targeted agents, a quicker clinical implementation of precision medicine, and for other therapeutic uses (eg, for immunotherapies). However, deficits in organisational structures and interdisciplinary cooperation are impeding the collection of high-quality biomaterial from CNS tumours in most centres. Practical, legal, and ethical guidelines for consent, storage, material transfer, biobanking, data sharing, and funding should be established by research consortia and local institutions to allow optimal collection of primary and subsequent tumour tissue, body fluids, and normal tissue. Procedures for the collection and storage of biomaterials and related data should be implemented according to the individual and organisational structures of the local institutions.