Participate in the TRACKER biobank
The TRACKER biobank focuses on collecting samples from people with lung cancer who have not yet received any treatment.
Why Participate?
The choice for people to donate samples and provide their health information is a generous gift that will allow both current and future generations benefit from the valuable information it contains. This information may lead to research discoveries that can change, improve and save the lives of others in the future. ​
For too long people from diverse communities have been forgotten or excluded completely from clinical trials and research. It is great to see the effort TRACKER biobank is making to be inclusive and ensure people with lung cancer from diverse backgrounds can make an informed decision about participating.
Nasreen. K, Family Member
How can people donate?
The opportunity to donate to the TRACKER biobank begins when scans reveal that an individual is suspected of having lung cancer. Subsequently, an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) will be performed as part of standard clinical care to confirm a diagnosis of advanced lung cancer.
​If an individual agrees to become a donor to the TRACKER biobank, the doctor will take additional samples for biobanking at the same time the participant and future research purposes. A small amount of blood is donated at the same time. Collecting these biobank samples does not interfere with the process required to make an individual's lung cancer diagnosis.
​
To minimise the stress on the participant, all future blood samples will be collected at times that line up with regular hospital appointments. Therefore, participants will not need to make a separate visit to the hospital or have any more needles to take the blood.
​
To donate clinical samples the first step would be to speak with your treating doctor. Choosing to participate is of no cost, completely up to the individual, and they can change their mind at any time. Their care or treatment will not be affected in any way whether they decide to participate or not. ​
How will Privacy be Protected?
TRACKER is committed to protecting all medical information collected, as participant involvement is helping uncover new discoveries that will improve the health and lives of others. Samples and health information will be stored safely and securely.
​
All samples are kept anonymous, which means we use code numbers, not names or personal details (shown in the image to the right), to protect participant confidentiality before it is shared with researchers. All information is protected by encryption (scrambling information into a secret code that can only be unlocked with a unique digital key) and is stored behind secure firewalls which are built to restrict access.
​
The TRACKER​ Biobank operates in accordance with The National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2007, (Updated 2018) and the 2012 NHMRC Biobanks information paper. In addition, TRACKER is guided by The Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles.​
What are the potential risks of participating?
All procedures performed within TRACKER are standard practices in hospitals and the risks of participating are associated with the type of procedure undertaken to donate the biospecimen. For example, participants may experience faintness, pain, bleeding and/or bruising at the site of blood sample collection. An endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is completed under anaesthetic (so participants will be asleep for a short period of time) and is of minimal risk.
What if someone changes their mind and wants to be removed from TRACKER?
People are free to leave from the study at any time without providing a reason. Leaving the study will not alter treatment or care. They are also welcome to discuss any concerns and talk through options with us at any time. ​If they do decide to leave, they will be asked whether they'd like their stored samples to return to the hospital site who collected their sample, or disposed.
Please email us:
