Introduction to the Biology of Cancer

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Introduction to the Biology of Cancer

Coursera (CC)
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Description

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About this course: Over 500,000 people in the United States and over 8 million people worldwide are dying every year from cancer. As people live longer, the incidence of cancer is rising worldwide and the disease is expected to strike over 20 million people annually by 2030. This open course is designed for people who would like to develop an understanding of cancer and how it is prevented, diagnosed, and treated. The course introduces the molecular biology of cancer (oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes) as well as the biologic hallmarks of cancer. The course also describes the risk factors for the major cancers worldwide, including lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate ca…

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When you enroll for courses through Coursera you get to choose for a paid plan or for a free plan

  • Free plan: No certicification and/or audit only. You will have access to all course materials except graded items.
  • Paid plan: Commit to earning a Certificate—it's a trusted, shareable way to showcase your new skills.

About this course: Over 500,000 people in the United States and over 8 million people worldwide are dying every year from cancer. As people live longer, the incidence of cancer is rising worldwide and the disease is expected to strike over 20 million people annually by 2030. This open course is designed for people who would like to develop an understanding of cancer and how it is prevented, diagnosed, and treated. The course introduces the molecular biology of cancer (oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes) as well as the biologic hallmarks of cancer. The course also describes the risk factors for the major cancers worldwide, including lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer. We explain how cancer is staged, the major ways cancer is found by imaging, and how the major cancers are treated. In addition to the core materials, this course includes two Honors lessons devoted to cancers of the liver and prostate. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: - Identify the major types of cancer worldwide. (Lecture 1) - Describe how genes contribute to the risk and growth of cancer. (Lecture 2) - List and describe the ten cellular hallmarks of cancer. (Lecture 3) - Define metastasis, and identify the major steps in the metastatic process. (Lecture 4) - Describe the role of imaging in the screening, diagnosis, staging, and treatments of cancer. (Lecture 5) - Explain how cancer is treated. (Lecture 6) We hope that this course gives you a basic understanding of cancer biology and treatment. The course is not designed for patients seeking treatment guidance – but it can help you understand how cancer develops and provides a framework for understanding cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Who is this class for: This course is designed for undergraduates, graduates, nurses, physicians, other healthcare professionals, and researches who need a refresher or are considering pursuing research in the field. This course is not intended for patients seeking treatment guidance.

Created by:  Johns Hopkins University
  • Taught by:  Kenneth J. Pienta, M.D., The Donald S. Coffey Professor of Urology

    The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute
Level Beginner Commitment 6 weeks of study, 1-4 hours/week Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.7 stars Average User Rating 4.7See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

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Johns Hopkins University The mission of The Johns Hopkins University is to educate its students and cultivate their capacity for life-long learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Incidence and Etiology of Cancer
In this first week, we'll get a high-level introduction to the basics of cancer biology as well as incidence and common types of cancer.


5 videos, 4 readings expand


  1. Video: Welcome to the Course
  2. Reading: Welcome
  3. Reading: Grading and Honors Lesson
  4. Reading: Suggested Reading List
  5. Reading: Pre-Course Survey
  6. Video: Incidence and Etiology Overview
  7. Video: Incidence and Etiology of Cancer
  8. Video: Cancer Incidence
  9. Video: The Common Cancers

Graded: Introduction Quiz

WEEK 2


Genetics of Cancer
Now, we'll turn our attention to the genetics of cancer, variation and mutation, two-hit hypothesis, and genomic instability.


4 videos expand


  1. Video: Genetics Overview
  2. Video: Basic Introduction to Genetics
  3. Video: Genetic Variation and Mutation
  4. Video: Two-Hit Hypothesis and Genomic Instability

Graded: Genetics Quiz

WEEK 3


Ten Cellular Hallmarks of Cancer
All cancers share ten cellular hallmarks. This week, you'll learn to identify these hallmarks in order to distinguish a normal cell from a cancerous cell.


4 videos expand


  1. Video: Cellular Hallmarks Overview
  2. Video: The Human Cell and Hallmarks of Cancer 1-5
  3. Video: The Human Cell and Cellular Hallmarks Cancer 6-8
  4. Video: Cellular Hallmarks of Cancer 9 & 10: Preparing the Cancer Cell to Move and Metastasize

Graded: Hallmarks Quiz

WEEK 4


Metastasis: The Real Killer
The lethal agent of cancer is metastasis. This week, we'll take a good look at this deadly event, TNM staging, the metastatic process, and an ecological paradigm.


5 videos expand


  1. Video: Metastasis Overview
  2. Video: Introduction to Metastasis
  3. Video: TNM Staging
  4. Video: The Metastatic Process
  5. Video: An Ecological Paradigm: Why Do Cancer Cells Metastasize from the Primary Tumor?

Graded: Metastasis Quiz

WEEK 5


Imaging in Oncology
This week, we'll examine imaging as a tool for diagnosis, staging, and treatment of cancer.


5 videos expand


  1. Video: Imaging Overview
  2. Video: Introduction to Imaging
  3. Video: Types of Imaging
  4. Video: Imaging in Clinical Oncology
  5. Video: Theory of Oligometastasis and How Treatment is Supported by Imaging

Graded: Imaging Quiz

WEEK 6


Treatment
In this final week, we'll examine the variety of treatment options available to doctors and patients as well as the features of clinical trials and how they are used to improve the treatment arsenal.


9 videos, 1 reading expand


  1. Video: Treatment Overview
  2. Video: Types of Treatment
  3. Video: Types of Treatments for Individual Cancers
  4. Video: Clinical Trials
  5. Video: Wrap-Up
  6. Reading: Post-Course Survey
  7. Video: Liver Cancer Overview
  8. Video: Incidence, Risk Factors, Screening
  9. Video: Staging For Liver Cancer
  10. Video: Treatment of Liver Cancer

Graded: Treatment Quiz
Graded: Liver Cancer Quiz
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