{
  "abstract": "Background\n\nLong-standing cooperative oncology groups are uniquely positioned to generate high-quality real-world data in diverse tumor types. The Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG), a nonprofit scientific organization, has established a multi-institutional clinical database and biobank to support translational cancer research and precision oncology initiatives. Our aim was to describe the structure, governance and operation of HeCOG Biobank and patient registry.Materials and methods\n\nThe HeCOG clinical database is a centralized, web-based platform that supports interventional, observational, real-world and translational studies across affiliated institutions. Clinical data are linked to biospecimens stored in the HeCOG Biobank, preserved at the Laboratory of Molecular Oncology. Biospecimen collection, processing, storage, and data handling are governed by standardized operating procedures.Results\n\nTo date, the registry includes >54 000 patients with diverse tumors, enrolled retrospectively and prospectively. The associated biobank comprises >17 000 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue samples and >6000 blood-derived specimens. The largest tissue collections are from breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. Molecular and histopathological biomarker data are also available for several thousand patients within the registry. Biospecimens are uniquely coded and linked to pseudonymized longitudinal clinical, histopathological, and molecular data. Ongoing expansion includes digital pathology and radiological imaging datasets, further enhancing the translational potential of the resource.Conclusions\n\nThe HeCOG Biobank and the accompanying clinical database have evolved into a valuable resource for translational cancer research in Greece. Through the ongoing integration of digital pathology, imaging data, and artificial intelligence-based approaches it provides a strong basis for precision oncology and collaborative national and international research.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Medical Oncology, St Luke's Clinic, Thessaloniki, Greece.",
    "European University Cyprus, Engomi, Cyprus.",
    "Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Hellenic Foundation for Cancer Research, Thessaloniki, Greece.",
    "Section of Biostatistics, Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group, Data Office, Athens, Greece.",
    "Regulatory/Legal Operations, Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group, Data Office, Athens, Greece.",
    "Oncology Section, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.",
    "Second Department of Medical Oncology, Metropolitan Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.",
    "Third Department of Medical Oncology, Agii Anargiri Cancer Hospital, Athens, Greece.",
    "First Department of Medical Oncology, Metropolitan Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.",
    "Second Department of Medical Oncology, Agii Anargiri Cancer Hospital, Athens, Greece.",
    "Second Department of Medical Oncology, Hygeia Hospital, Athens, Greece.",
    "Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Patras, Medical School, Patras, Greece.",
    "Oncology Unit, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.",
    "Third Department of Medical Oncology, Hygeia Hospital, Athens, Greece.",
    "Second Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.",
    "Department of Radiation Oncology, German Oncology Center, Limassol, Cyprus.",
    "Department of Medical Oncology, Medical School, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece.",
    "Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.",
    "Fourth Oncology Department & Comprehensive Clinical Trials Center, Metropolitan Hospital, Athens, Greece.",
    "Medical Oncology Unit, S. Andrew Hospital, Patras, Greece.",
    "Department of Medical Oncology, Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre, Nicosia, Cyprus.",
    "School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.",
    "Radiation Oncology Department, University General Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.",
    "Second Radiation Oncology Clinic, Metropolitan Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.",
    "Department of Pathology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece.",
    "Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Patras, Rion, Greece.",
    "Department of Pathology, Papageorgiou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.",
    "Department of Pathology, Metaxas Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.",
    "Pathology Department, Metropolitan Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.",
    "Pathology Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.",
    "Department of Pathology, Henry Dunant Hospital, Athens, Greece.",
    "Department of Pathology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece.",
    "First Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.",
    "Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.",
    "Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 37,
  "authors": [
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  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1zxs7cp896h11.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1016/j.esmorw.2026.100788",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13682065",
  "id": "1zxs7cp896h11",
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  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
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  "native_subjects": [
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      "openalex",
      "1306|Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics"
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  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13682065?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13682065",
  "pmid": "42903694",
  "published": "2026-10-12",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1zxs7cp896h11.ris",
  "sources": [
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      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:53Z",
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:1306|Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics",
      "subfield": "oncology"
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  ],
  "title": "HeCOG Cancer Biobank and Registry: a nationwide real-world resource for translational oncology research.",
  "title_text": "HeCOG Cancer Biobank and Registry: a nationwide real-world resource for translational oncology research.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:53Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1zxs7cp896h11",
  "venue": "ESMO real world data and digital oncology",
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