Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens are available for a subset of the NLST participants who developed lung cancer during the trial. Donor blocks were obtained from local pathology laboratories and tissue cores (0.6mm) were extracted from them to construct tissue microarrays (TMA). Tissue cores were sampled from primary main invasive tumor histology, secondary tumor histology, carcinoma in situ, adjacent normal lung tissue, metastatic lesion from lymph node(s) and/or distant sites, benign (un-involved) lymph node, proximal and/or distal bronchi.

In total, tissue materials were collected from ~435 lung cancer cases. All have cores arrayed across nine TMAs, one of which only contains tissue collected after neoadjuvant treatment. ~430 of these also have loose cores available for nucleic acid extraction. On average, each TMA contains ~500 cores from ~45 subjects.

Applications for access to these specimens can be submitted under the PLCO Etiologic and Early Marker Studies Program (EEMS). The application review process opens twice a year, once in the winter and once in the summer. For more information about EEMS and to initiate an application visit the PLCO EEMS Application page. When filling out the application, specify "NLST Tissue" under the case definition.

ACRIN biospecimens, including blood, urine, and sputum collected at the screening exams, and tissue from participants diagnosed with lung cancer may be requested by selecting "Contact Us" at the ECOG-ACRIN website. By completing the form and choosing the subject of "Data Sharing", the pertinent ECOG-ACRIN staff members (including the Data Sharing Administrator at Biostatistics Center) will be notified of the request and will respond to the investigator within 48 working hours.