What Science Knows about Cancer

Course Overview

Arm yourself with information. In this course taught by a frontline cancer researcher, you discover how cancer is caused, how it works, and what science is doing to stop it.

Course No. 1956

This 24-lecture course with cancer researcher Dr. David Sadava reveals:

• The molecular mechanisms behind cancer development
• How genetic mutations lead to uncontrolled cell growth
• Cutting-edge treatments from immunotherapy to targeted drugs
• Prevention strategies and screening controversies
  Featuring patient case studies, clinical trial data, and 3D animations to visualize cancer biology.

Video Lectures

Module 1: Understanding Cancer

1. Cancer Is an Ongoing Challenge (31 min)
   History of cancer research from early theories to modern molecular biology.
2. Cancer Is a Major Burden to Society (30 min)
   Global cancer statistics and economic impacts.
3. Discovering Causes of Cancer in Populations (30 min)
   How epidemiological studies identify risk factors.
4. Some Causes of Cancer in Populations (31 min)
   Tobacco, radiation, pesticides and other environmental triggers.

Module 2: Cancer at the Cellular Level

5. DNA Is the Key to Understanding Cancer (30 min)
   How genetic mutations initiate cancerous changes.
6. How Does DNA Change to Initiate Cancer? (31 min)
   Chemical carcinogens vs. radiation damage mechanisms.
7. How Do We Know If Something Causes Cancer? (32 min)
   Testing methods from lab studies to risk analysis.
8. How Do Normal Cells Function? (31 min)
   Cell biology basics and the cloning breakthrough.

Module 3: Tumor Biology

9. What Is Different about Cancer Cells? (30 min)
   9 hallmarks of cancer cells including immortality.
10. How Do Tumors Grow? (30 min)
    Benign vs malignant tumors and metastasis.
11. How Tumors Spread and Thrive (31 min)
    Angiogenesis and immune system evasion.
12. What Are Tumor Viruses? (32 min)
    Epstein-Barr, HPV and other cancer-linked viruses.

Module 4: Genetic Factors

13. How Do Tumor Viruses Cause Cancer? (28 min)
    Viral hijacking of cell division controls.
14. How Do Cancer-Causing Genes Work? (30 min)
    Oncogenes and their role in childhood cancers.
15. Can Cancer Be Inherited? (30 min)
    BRCA1 and other hereditary cancer syndromes.
16. How Do Normal Genes Suppress Tumors? (32 min)
    Tumor suppressor genes as cellular brakes.

Module 5: Modern Treatments

17. How Do Genetic Changes Result in Cancer? (33 min)
    Cancer Genome Project and personalized medicine.
18. Treating Cancer with Surgery (31 min)
    Evolution of surgical techniques and diagnostics.
19. Treating Cancer with Radiation (32 min)
    Proton therapy, brachytherapy and stem cell transplants.
20. Treating Cancer with Drugs (31 min)
    Chemotherapy origins and plant-derived compounds.

Module 6: Future Directions

21. How Do Drugs Attack Cancer? (34 min)
    Methotrexate, tamoxifen and drug resistance.
22. Frontiers of Cancer Treatment (31 min)
    Immunotherapy and tumor-targeting viruses.
23. Can Screening for Cancer Be Useful? (32 min)
    Breast exams, PSA tests and early detection debates.
24. Can Cancer Be Prevented? (35 min)
    Chemoprevention and reducing environmental risks.