Ascertainment of Peripheral Blood or Saliva Samples for Genetic Epidemiology Studies of Familial Cancers

The purpose of this study is to better understand the genetic causes of cancer and the inherited tendency to develop cancer. To accomplish this, blood specimens and/or saliva samples and/or tumor and normal tissue blocks from patients and families of patients with cancer will be collected. Blood specimens will be frozen and stored for analysis at a later date. Tumor tissue and normal tissue will be stored for analysis at a later date. In order to perform this study, patients and members of their families will be asked to provide blood samples and/or saliva samples. Individuals will be asked to provide a history of cancer in their relatives at the time the blood sample is given. No relatives will be contacted before they have been asked by a family member if they wish to participate in this study. If they do wish to participate, the relatives should indicate this by returning the "Family Member Consent for Contact Form" After we receive this form, arrangements may be made for the family member to send in a blood and/or saliva sample or to come in person to provide the sample to us. Except for family history, no medical information provided by one member of a family will be discussed with other family members. At the end of this form, we will also ask for your permission to be contacted in the future to discuss information about your health, additional research with your samples and/or certain research findings possibly related to your sample.

Patients can provide either a blood or saliva sample for the protocol. For blood samples, two tubes of blood (approximately 20 cc) will be drawn from the patient, utilizing a sterile technique. The tubes will be rocked so as to mix the blood with the additive (EDTA) in the tubes. For saliva samples, approximately 2-4 ml of saliva will be collected in specialized Oragene DNA Self-Collection Kit tubes. The sample(s) may also be used to detect new genes or changes in genes that may tell us who is at risk for certain types of cancer and/or other diseases.