Translational research in oncology represents a close collaboration between clinical and experimental research. The identification and validation of tumour markers to improve the prognosis of tumour patients is one of the main tasks of translational research. Translational research projects attempt to advance scientific knowledge of the pathogenesis of disease with the aim of providing customised diagnosis and therapy concepts for patients and contributing to the development of new targeted cancer drugs. Translational research projects require biomaterials (both tumour-derived and normal tissue, body fluids) to be readily available in sufficient quantities and to be of appropriate quality. The generation of significant results depends significantly on the selection and processing of the collected biomaterials. Consistent guidelines and standardised procedures should be established to ensure constant conditions at participating centres and analysing laboratories. This article presents guidelines for standard operating procedures for the collection and handling of the most common biomaterials. These procedures were developed by a group of clinical scientists and laboratory researchers mainly from the AGO commission on "translational research" during two workshops in Biedenkopf near Marburg. The potential for collaboration between translational and clinical research projects is demonstrated in current clinical breast cancer trials in Germany.     «

Translational research in oncology represents a close collaboration between clinical and experimental research. The identification and validation of tumour markers to improve the prognosis of tumour patients is one of the main tasks of translational research. Translational research projects attempt to advance scientific knowledge of the pathogenesis of disease with the aim of providing customised diagnosis and therapy concepts for patients and contributing to the development of new targeted canc...     »