General Information about the SGTB
WHO ARE WE?
The Salivary Gland Tumor Biorepository (SGTB) collects, maintains, and distributes biospecimens (with limited clinical data) and cell lines in order to provide qualified investigators with materials for basic and translational research on salivary gland tumors.
A network of satellite centers with proven expertise in salivary gland tumors from across the nation contribute to the SGTB. See the Satellite Sites page for a complete list.
WHY SALIVARY GLAND TUMORS?
Salivary gland cancers are rare cancers. They comprise 1-6% of all head and neck cancers. In the US, approximately 1.2 new cases per 100,000 persons are diagnosed per year (age-adjusted to the US standard 2000 population). This would suggest about 3,600 new cases annually. While surgery is the main modality of treatment for these tumors, advanced unresectable primary, recurrent and metastatic tumors are generally fatal.
In October 2006, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) convened the first workshop on the “Biology and Treatment of Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors.” It was concluded that this field is suffering from lack of progress in all aspects, from basic biology to therapy and patient management. More importantly, the workshop revealed that there is a paucity of research tools such as tissue specimens, cell lines, and animal models that are instrumental in promoting the basic and translational research in the field. Furthermore, a centralized effort to catalogue and collect these resources that can be made available to the extramural community is lacking.
To remedy these deficiencies and to advance basic and translational research in this field and ultimately improve public health, the NIDCR led the effort to support the establishment of a centralized biorepository at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center renowned for its expertise in head and neck and salivary gland tumor biology and pathology.
HOW TO REQUEST BIOSPECIMENS:
The SGTB’s goal is to provide qualified investigators with materials for basic and translational research on salivary gland tumors. Visit our Researchers page to learn how this process works.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REQUESTING SPECIMENS FROM THE SGTB?
• Access to rare, valuable resources.
• Access to biospecimens collected using standard operating protocols.
• High quality tissue materials.