Biospecimens play an important role in how scientists and physicians understand and treat cancer. Human biospecimens include tissue, blood, urine and other bodily fluids that have been collected by doctors and scientists for centuries. Each day millions of people visit doctor’s offices, hospitals, laboratories, blood banks, sperm laboratories and other facilities where biospecimens are collected. Use of biospecimens for cancer research has already contributed to advances including Gleevec® for leukemia and Herceptin® for breast cancer.
In 2007 the American Society of Clinical Oncology reported that in addition to an increased need for cancer funding, the most critical need for cancer research was greater access to biospecimens. The Dr. Susan Love Foundation and the Army of Women are also actively working to encourage women to provide biospecimens for breast cancer research instead of laboratory rats or mice who must be injected with cancer cells before studies can be conducted.
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