DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Meets any of the following criteria:

  • Diagnosed with primary neoplasm
  • Developed a second malignant neoplasm
  • Any diagnoses having an ICD-O Morphology Code ending in 1, 2, or 3 as listed in the International Classification of Disease for Oncology, Third Edition

• Must have biological specimens including solid tumors and leukemias available

  • Solid tumors meeting the following criteria:

    • Snap frozen primary tumor OR OCT embedded primary tumor OR formalin fixed (block or tissue in formalin) primary tumor AND at least 10 unstained paraffin slides for NIH Mandated QC (tumors that have undergone central pathology review are allowed)

      • Slides for pathology review (instead of slides for QC) are required for patients with rare tumors

  • Plueral fluid or cytologic specimens meeting the following criteria:

    • At least 1 mL of fluid and at least 2 unstained cytospin slides (or 2 unstained smears)

      • Slides for pathology review (instead of slides for QC) are required for patients with rare tumors

  • ALL/AML

    • 3-6 mL of bone marrow aspirate and 10 mL of whole blood
• Not eligible for disease-specific biology or banking protocol

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Not specified