Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Can I ship specimens on Fridays?
Answer: Yes, you can ship on Fridays as we are now receiving all submissions on Saturdays. Please see our Saturday delivery protocol located here prior to shipping on Friday.

Question: I am sending frozen samples to the PCO. Can I batch all the samples in one large shipment?
Answer: Many protocols have specific guidelines regarding batched shipments. Batching samples may be a protocol violation if the samples are being held too long after collection. While batching samples is allowed for some protocols, please try to send the batches at least once a month. Also, please refer to your protocol for any specific instructions.

Question: I am waiting for more slides to be made (or for the blood smears to dry), should I wait until all slides are available before sending the slides?
Answer: Send the slides as soon as possible (slides must arrive within one week of sampling). If the blood and bone marrow smears are ready and they are waiting for the biopsy paraffin sections, you should send the smears ASAP.

Question: Does the PCO provide kits for my study?
Answer: 1: If it is Protocol MA-27, 30601, 40503, 40601, 40603, or 90203: Yes, please call (614-293-7073) or email (path.calgb@osumc.edu) the PCO for instructions.
2: If it is any other protocol: No, your principal investigator is given funds for supplies for each patient enrolled. You will need to contact the principal investigator at your institution.

Question: Can you send me back the shippers and cold packs?
Answer: Yes, but only if you provide us with your FedEx account number. Each Institution should have funds to support shipping material. If you are not receiving those funds, please contact your PI and/or Paula Friedman, Director of Biospecimen & Correlative Science Operations, at pfriedman@calgb.org.

Question: Can you check on some patients who I believe I've sent material on, but we want to double check because we have an upcoming audit?
Answer: Yes, please email your query to the PCO (path.calgb@osumc.edu) and an available data coordinator will respond as soon as possible.

Question: How long will it take to get the MA-27 kits?
Answer: It will take approximately one business week. If you need them sooner you can provide your FedEx account number or you can just use a kit at your institution and send it with the MA-27 FedEx account number. Once you get the MA-27 kit you can keep it in exchange.

Question: We do not carry a certain size blood tube at this institution. What should we do?
Answer: Collect the same volume in as many tubes as necessary to fulfill the protocol requirements. Make sure that these tubes are all the same type as dictated in the protocol (e.g. EDTA, Tiger top, etc.).

Question: Should I spin down the serum?
Answer: Yes, but leave it in the tube and ship on a cold pack. Do not aliquot or freeze unless the protocol states otherwise.

Question: What should I do if I need the submitted samples returned to my institution?
Answer: Please fill out our sample return request form located here and send it with the samples.

Question: I do not have enough material to complete protocol requirements for a particular study. How should I proceed?
Answer: Send all of the material you have along with the completed “Incomplete Submission Explanation Form”. This form is available on our website. It is located here.

Question: A patient came in for a blood draw prior to randomization and a CALGB patient ID number has not been assigned yet, what do I do with the sample?
Answer: Please ship the sample and indicate on the tracking form "patient ID number pending randomization." Once the ID number is assigned, please fax (614-293-7967) an updated copy of the tracking form to include the patient ID number.

Question: The protocol says to ship a sample via the Labtrak application. What is Labtrak?
Answer: Labtrak is a program used by CALGB members for tracking the shipment of samples. If you are CALGB member please contact the Labtrak helpdesk (877-442-2542) for assistance using the program. If the patient was registered via CTSU, and you are not a member of CALGB, it is not necessary for you to use Labtrak.

Question: If there is a dry tap on a bone marrow aspirate, is it okay to just send peripheral slides?
Answer: Touch preps can be made from the bone plug. This gives the pathologist an idea what is going on within the marrow. If there is no marrow or no touch preps, then the peripheral blood smears are of little value to the pathologists to classify the type of leukemia!