84429 - Cancer Biology

Learning outcomes

Describe the tumor phenotype, the etiology and pathogenesis of cancer, including interactions with the microenvironment and the immune system, and the progression to metastatic spread. Describe the biological and molecular mechanisms of physical, chemical and biological carcinogenesis. Define the principles of tumor classification, grading, and staging. Outline the principles of cancer epidemiology, and assess the relevance of risk factors.

Course contents

INTRODUCTION

What is cancer? Benign and malignant tumors, Nomenclature
and classifications, Epidemiology: the size of the problem (2 hours)

CANCER IS A GENIC DISEASE

Oncogenes (2 hours)

Tumor suppressor genes (2 hours)

Hereditary cancer (2 hours)

NATURAL HISTORY OF TUMORS

Cancer hallmarks, Tumor heterogeneity, Tumor progression (2 hours)

TUMOR – HOST RELATIONSHIPS

Angiogenesis, Microenvironment, Metastatic spread (2 hours)

Tumor immunology (2 hours)

CARCINOGENESIS

Fundamentals of carcinogenesis, Physical carcinogenesis (2 hours)

Chemical carcinogenesis (2 hours)

Complex mixtures: Tobacco, Alcohol, Diet, Environmental pollution (2 hours)

Biological carcinogenesis (2 hours)

CANCER PREVENTION

Primary and secondary cancer prevention, Chemoprevention (2 hours)

Readings/Bibliography

• Lollini: Cellular & Molecular Oncology.
• Weinberg: The Biology of Cancer, Garland Science.
• Pecorino: Molecular Biology of Cancer, Oxford University Press.
• DeVita, Lawrence, Rosenberg: Cancer, Principles and Practice of Oncology, LWW.

Teaching methods

Lectures

Attendance to learning activities is mandatory; the minimum attendance requirement to be admitted to the final exam is 60% of lessons. For Integrated Courses (IC), the 60% attendance requirement refers to the total amount of I.C. lessons. Students who fail to meet the minimum attendance requirement will not be admitted to the final exam of the course, and will have to attend relevant classes again during the next academic year.

Professors may authorize excused absences upon receipt of proper justifying documentation, in case of illness or serious reasons. Excused absences do not count against a student’s attendance record to determine their minimum attendance requirement.

Assessment methods

The oral exam of Cancer Biology will cover all the subjects of the course. The student has to answer questions to demonstrate his/her knowledge of specific subjects, the ability to understand the links between different parts of the course, and the use of appropriate terminology.

Gradation of the final grade:

Insufficient: lack of preparation. Serious and repeated conceptual errors.

18-19: knowledge of the basic concepts without serious gaps. Exposition of concepts and language as a whole acceptable.

20-24: knowledge of the basic concepts without gaps. Ability to analyze and link in partial autonomy. Exposure of discrete concepts and language.

25-29: preparation of good or very good level or even excellent preparation but with inaccuracies in the presentation that compromise the achievement of full marks. Ability to analyze and link independently. Exposure of concepts in the right succession and mastery of the language.

30-30L: full preparation, consolidated and without inaccuracies on the topics covered in the course. Ability to promptly frame the topic. Ability to analyze and connect independently. Concepts in the right succession and full command of the specific language.

Teaching tools

All the slides used for lectures are made available to the students.

Office hours

See the website of Pier Luigi Lollini