Biospecimen collection, processing, and analysis: new challenges for oncology nurses

Abstract

Objectives: To provide an overview of emerging applications for and challenges associated with biospecimen collection for evaluating personalized disease risk and/or treatment response in cancer clinical trials.

Data sources: Published nursing and medical literature.

Conclusion: Blood- and tissue-based biomarkers are increasingly utilized to identify the molecular signatures of disease that can inform the determination of a course of treatment in a very precise manner. There are challenges for the oncology nurse related to specimen collection, processing, analysis, and translation to precision treatment.

Implications for nursing practice: It is important for nurses to have appropriate training and a working understanding of the procedures for biospecimen collection and how biospecimen analyses can inform precision assessment of risk and prognosis.

Keywords: Biospecimens; biomarker; specimen collection.