Introduction to the Biology of Cancer
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.
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Syllabus
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Incidence and Etiology of Cancer
Week 2
Genetics of Cancer
Week 3
Ten Cellular Hallmarks of Cancer
Week 4
Metastasis: The Real Killer
Week 5
Imaging in Oncology
Week 6
Treatment
FAQ
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Reviews
I benefited hugely from this course although I don't have background in clinical practice. The introduction to Medical imagery was a little bit challenging for me, It could've been further simplified.
i enjoyed the information gthat i have learned in this course. however, I already learnt the majority of these information i my university. hope that there is more detailed course about cancer
Course is concise and professors are well learned in their fields. Information in the course is relatively well dispersed. Use of diagrams is good and makes it easy to remember the content
This course was really useful for me, and it helped me to gather more information about cancer biology as well. Thank you all the organizers who made thing course really a beneficial one.
