ESMO real world data and digital oncology
HeCOG Cancer Biobank and Registry: a nationwide real-world resource for translational oncology research
By Fountzilas E, Papadopoulou K, Koliou GA and 22 others.
Abstract
Background
Long-standing cooperative oncology groups are uniquely positioned to generate high-quality real-world data in diverse tumor types. The Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG), a nonprofit scientific organization, has established a multi-institutional clinical database and biobank to support translational cancer research and precision oncology initiatives. Our aim was to describe the structure, governance and operation of HeCOG Biobank and patient registry.
Materials and methods
The HeCOG clinical database is a centralized, web-based platform that supports interventional, observational, real-world and translational studies across affiliated institutions. Clinical data are linked to biospecimens stored in the HeCOG Biobank, preserved at the Laboratory of Molecular Oncology. Biospecimen collection, processing, storage, and data handling are governed by standardized operating procedures.