04982 - Medical Oncology (A-K)

Learning outcomes

At the end of course, student acquires the essential knowledge for optimal clinical management of the patient with cancer. In particular, it learns three main aspects: staging with the diagnostic-therapeutic itinerary, communication with the related psychological aspects and palliation of the patient in an incurable phase of illness. Course consists of a technical part in which the clinical elements are characterized by the choice of drugs and the therapeutic successions integrated with radiotherapy and surgery, and a part with a strong humanistic component in which the treatment of physical pain and other needs of the advanced patient are integrated with the more humanistic aspects of communication with the person and the family, the consideration of advance directives, spirituality and religion.

Course contents

-Basic skills of oncology (lesson 1 & 2):

1. epidemiology and etiopathogenesis
2. biology and natural history
3. diagnosis, and staging
4. therapeutic modalities (adjuvant, neoadjuvant, integrated, palliative)
5. drug therapy (chemotherapy, hormone therapy, molecular target therapy, immunotherapy)

- Epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis/staging and therapeutic strategy of the main "big killers":

a. Lung Cancer (lesson 3 & 4)

b. Colorectal cancer (lesson 5)

c. Breast cancer (lesson 6)

d.prostate cancer (lesson 7)

-Clinical approach to cancer patient and clinical case discussion (lesson 8)

-No additional security courses are required

Readings/Bibliography

Medical Books

1."MANUALE DI ONCOLOGIA MEDICA", a cura del COMU- edizione unica (2018)-Libro in uscita a Settembre 2018.

2. "CORE CURRICULUM - ONCOLOGIA CLINICA", 2° edizione, Bianco - De Placido - Tortora - Conte, McGraw-Hill (2015)

3. "ONCOLOGIA MEDICA", 2° edizione, Fortunato Ciardiello, Ildeson-Gnocchi (2017)

4. "Cancer: Principles and practice of oncology", DeVita - Lawrence - Rosenberg, Wolters Kluwer Health (2023)

5. I numeri del cancro in Italia 2020 ( File pdf : https://www.aiom.it/i-numeri-del-cancro-in-italia/ )

6. Linee guida AIOM (https://www.aiom.it/linee-guida-aiom/ )

7. Linee guida ESMO (https://www.esmo.org/guidelines )

-In addition, pdf slides of each lesson will be provided on "Virtuale"

Popular books

1. L’imperatore del male. Una biografia del cancro

Siddhartha Mukherjee, Neri Pozza Editore, 2011

2. Capire il cancro: conoscerlo, curarlo, guarire

Lucio Luzzatto, Rizzoli 2006

3. Da bambino avevo un sogno. Tra ricerca e cura, la mia lotta al tumore

Umberto Veronesi, Mondadori 2002

4. Dall’altra parte

Gianni Bonadonna, Sandro Bartoccioni, Francesco Sartori, Rizzoli 2006

 

Teaching methods

In-person lectures

Assessment methods

Final exam: multiple choice quiz (31 questions in 31 minutes, one point for each question, wrong answers count 0 as the answers not given) The exam will be cumulative with questions concerning the various modules of the course: anesthesia and pain therapy, radiotherapy, pedagogy, oncology. In case of refusal / failure of two written tests, the possibility of taking the oral exam will be evaluated. The exam will be carried out in person.

There will be 6 exams (including a first one in December)

Teaching tools

lessons, slides, texts, scientific literature, popular books, exercises

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Ardizzoni