A European biobank for radiation therapy
Scientists in the field of radiation therapy realised that to achieve further progress in the prediction of treatment outcome, knowledge and resources had to somehow be pooled. That’s when the idea of a European tissue bank and database on research in response to radiation was formed. The concept of a virtual tissue bank linked to a central database with the possibility of data input and mining was translated into reality through funding of the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) GENEPI-ENTB project. As a continuation to that effort and for further development, the EU supported the GENEPI central database through the Genepi-ENTB 2 project. With well over 5 000 registered patients and 12 000 tissue samples stored and linked to solid outcome data, GENEPI boasts the largest infrastructure worldwide. The aim of the Genepi-ENTB 2 project was to triple the number of samples in the form of DNA, lymphocytes or other tissues from radiotherapy patients alongside their treatment details and outcome data. Additionally, data on patients who showed an unexpectedly severe response to radiation therapy were recorded. In order to make the data overall more accessible, tools for searching and querying the GENEPI database were developed. Standard operating procedures for quality checks were also laid down including a dosimetric audit and a quality assurance (QA) check of patient treatment plans. Collectively, these additions and modifications to the GENEPI database of radiation therapy biobank samples are expected to strengthen its importance in the field of radiology and oncology. The improved GENEPI resource will benefit future studies on radiation dose and its effects.
