Want to Learn More About Donating Tissue for Research?

Healthcare providers might not ask cancer patients if they would like to donate tissue because many clinicians are not researchers. Indeed, about 85 percent of cancer patients undergo treatment at community hospitals near where they live rather than at major, academic-based cancer centers. If you have questions about donating:

> Ask your doctor or nurse.

> Call the research review board listed on the informed consent form.

> Call the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service at 800-422-6237.

> Call the Office of Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research at 301-594-2212.

> Read the common questions and answers at cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/learningabout/providingtissue (NCI) or dfhcc.harvard.edu/visitorcenter/tissue-banking (Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center).