For physicians
Sample requirements
Specimen type, tube, volume, storage, and shipping conditions for genetic and molecular tests ordered through Advanced Consensus.
Requirements may vary by specific assay or reference laboratory. Always confirm with AC before collection for time-sensitive or non-standard specimens.
Confirm requirements for your testConfirm before collection
Always contact AC before collecting specimens for rare or time-sensitive tests. Incorrect collection can render specimens unusable.
Shipping temperature
AC provides packaging and dry-ice supplies for frozen specimens. Ambient shipments use insulated packaging. Courier pickup can be arranged.
Specimen guide
Requirements by test category
Blood · Germline / Constitutional
Hereditary cancer, rare disease, pharmacogenomics, NIPT
| Specimen | Tube / Container | Volume | Storage & Shipping | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peripheral blood | EDTA (purple top) | 5–10 mL | Room temperature (15–25 °C) | Do not freeze. Ship within 48 h of collection. |
| Peripheral blood (cfDNA) | Streck BCT or EDTA | 10–20 mL | Room temperature | Streck tubes stable up to 14 days. EDTA: separate plasma within 6 h and store at −80 °C. |
Tissue · Oncology
Solid tumor NGS, somatic mutation profiling
| Specimen | Tube / Container | Volume | Storage & Shipping | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FFPE block | Paraffin block | Minimum 10% tumor content preferred | Room temperature | Include pathology report confirming tumor content. Blocks preferred over slides. |
| FFPE slides | Unstained slides | 10–15 slides (4–5 µm) | Room temperature | Include one H&E stained slide with tumor marked. Slides in slide mailer. |
| Fresh/frozen tissue | Cryovial or RNAlater | ≥ 50 mg preferred | Dry ice / −80 °C | Snap-freeze in liquid nitrogen or RNAlater immediately after resection. |
Bone Marrow · Hemato-Oncology
AML, MDS, ALL, lymphoma molecular panels
| Specimen | Tube / Container | Volume | Storage & Shipping | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bone marrow aspirate | EDTA or Li-Heparin | 2–5 mL | Room temperature | Ship within 24 h. Avoid heparinized tubes for PCR-based assays unless specified. |
| Peripheral blood (hemato-oncology) | EDTA | 10 mL | Room temperature | For leukemia panels where peripheral blood is appropriate. Specify blast percentage if known. |
Saliva
Germline, pharmacogenomics, wellness panels
| Specimen | Tube / Container | Volume | Storage & Shipping | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saliva | Saliva collection kit (provided by AC) | 2 mL | Room temperature | AC provides the collection kit. Patient self-collects at home. Stable for 6 months in kit buffer. |
Prenatal Specimens
NIPT, amniocentesis, CVS
| Specimen | Tube / Container | Volume | Storage & Shipping | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maternal blood (NIPT) | Streck BCT | 10 mL (× 2 tubes recommended) | Room temperature | Do not freeze or centrifuge before shipping. Ship within 24–48 h of collection. |
| Amniotic fluid | Sterile container | 15–20 mL | Room temperature (for culture) or 4 °C | Coordinate shipping immediately after procedure. Specify gestational age on requisition. |
| Chorionic villi (CVS) | Sterile saline / culture medium | 10–20 mg | Room temperature | Culture medium preferred. Coordinate timing and shipment with AC before the procedure. |
Requirements are indicative and may vary by specific assay, partner laboratory, and shipment destination. Confirm all specimen requirements with AC before collection. Contact us or refer to the ordering guide for next steps.