The French glioblastoma biobank (FGB): a national clinicobiological database

Abstract

Background: Glioblastomas (GB) are the most common and lethal primary brain tumors. Significant progress has been made toward identifying potential risk factors for GB and diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. However, the current standard of care for newly diagnosed GB, the Stupp protocol, has remained unchanged for over a decade. Large-scale translational programs based on a large clinicobiological database are required to improve our understanding of GB biology, potentially facilitating the development of personalized and specifically targeted therapies. With this goal in mind, a well-annotated clinicobiological database housing data and samples from GB patients has been set up in France: the French GB biobank (FGB).

Methods: The biobank contains data and samples from adult GB patients from 24 centers in France providing written informed consent. Clinical and biomaterial data are stored in anonymized certified electronic case report forms. Biological samples (including frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissues, blood samples, and hair) are conserved in certified biological resource centers or tumor tissue banks at each participating center.

Results: Clinical data and biological materials have been collected for 1087 GB patients. A complete set of samples (tumor, blood and hair) is available for 66%, and at least one frozen tumor sample is available for 88% of the GB patients.

Conclusions: This large biobank is unique in Europe and can support the large-scale translational projects required to improve GB care. Additional biological materials, such as peritumoral brain zone and fecal samples, will be collected in the future, to respond to research needs.

Keywords: Biobank; Biological materials; Clinical data; Database; Glioblastoma.

Fig. 1

Presentation of FGB workflow. Only data and samples from adult patients with newly diagnosed GB who sign an informed consent form are included in the FGB. Clinical data and biological materials are registered in anonymized and certified eCRFs. Radiological data are accessible by electronic means or on an anonymized and coded CD-ROM. Biological materials, including blood, tumor and hair samples, are collected at the time of surgery and are stored in certified biological resource centers or tumor tissue banks at each participating center. Researchers wishing to use this collection complete a request form. If their request is accepted by the scientific board, a material transfer agreement is signed and the data and biological materials can be supplied

Fig. 2

Comparison of the OS of the GB patients included in the FGB (n = 915) with that in two other GB cohorts: TCGA-GB (n = 486) and the French brain tumor database (FBTDB) (n = 1936). Survival curves were plotted according to the Kaplan–Meier method. Log-rank tests were performed to compare patient OS between the different cohorts with R v3.5.1 (https://www.r-project.org). Median OS is significantly longer for FGB patients than for the patients from TCGA-GB or FBTDB cohort (P < 0.001)

Fig. 3

Number of samples collected at the time of primary surgery and stored in the biobank, by sample type. Complete set = tumor + blood + hair

Fig. 4

Types of samples requested

Fig. 5

Materials recently added to the FGB. Since 2019, PBZ samples and tumor tissue frozen in DMSO at the time of primary surgery have been added to the FGB. Blood samples are also collected before surgery and during patient follow-up. Fecal samples will be collected in the near future. All these biological materials will support translational programs for understanding the development of GB and its progression and/or for identifying new diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers for the development of personalized therapy