Blood samples will be taken at baseline and at follow-up time-points prior to death.
Tissue harvesting will be performed after death. Tissue will be collected from sites of tumour and normal tissue, guided by either imaging performed prior to the patient’s death or tissue harvest findings. This will entail:
- Sampling of all tumour tissue (this may involve the removal of organs to allow sampling)
- Extensive background sampling of diseased organs (in the case of prostate/brain cancer this may involve sampling of the entire prostate/brain)
- Smaller scale sampling of normal tissue from uninvolved sites
- Taking blood samples.
In addition, bone marrow samples may be obtained. The following fluid may also be taken if present: cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid and urine. Any remaining tissue (with exception to prostate/brain) will be returned to the body.