RESUMO
This article discusses the importance of biobanking to health research advancement in developing countries by analyzing the impact of the establishment of a tumor bank at the A C Camargo Hospital, a cancer care and research center located in Sao Paulo, Brazil. For the past 13 years, the human biological samples provided by the tumor bank have been used by investigators to study various types of cancer. We analyze the impact of biobanking in the overall quality of research projects performed at our institution. We also summarize the main findings of these investigations focusing on breast, prostate, head-neck, and gastroesophageal tumors, as well as the lessons learned over these years. We conclude that biobanking should be part of the strategy employed by scientists and research institutions dedicated to the study of human diseases.