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BI 321 Biology of Cancer, Spring, 2002
Instructors: Prof. Craig Almeida, Science Center Rm. 117; x1024; e-mail: calmeida@stonehill.edu
Prof. Sheila Barry, Science Center Rm. 113; x1491; e-mail:
Office Hours: Prof. Almeida: M, W, F 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., M, W 2 – 4 p.m., W 1 – 4 p.m., or by appointment
Prof. Barry: M – Th 1 – 3 p.m., or by appointment
Text: McKinnell, R.G., Parchment, R.E., Perantoni, A.O., and Pierce, G. B. (1998) The biological basis of cancer. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.
Course Outline:
Topic, Reading Assignment
Basic Facts about Cancer
What is Cancer,14-18
How Frequent is Cancer,181-186
The Pathology of Cancer
Benign versus Malignant Tumors 18-24The Diagnosis of Benign and Malignant Tumors, 24
Tumor Grading and Staging, 24-25
Classification and Nomenclature 25-27
Metastasis, 27-28
Tumor Markers, 28-29
How Cancer Kills, 29-33
Spontaneous Regression, 33-34
Dormancy, 34-35
Initiation, Latency, Promotion, and Progression, 35
Latency, 35
Progression to the Autonomous State, 36-37
Selection and Cellular Heterogeneity, 37-39
A Developmental Concept of Cance, 39-47
Apoptosis, 47-48
Metastasis
The Metastatic Cascade, 53-68
Are There Genes that Control Metastasis? 68-70
Soil and Seed Hypothesis of Paget, 71
Is Metastasis Limited to Malignant Cells? 71-75How Do We Know that a Metastasis to the Liver is not a Primary
Neoplasm of the Liver? 75-77
Why Study Metastasis? 77-78
Early Detection and Diagnosis of Cancer Handout
Breast, Testicular, Colorectal, Lung, Ovarian, Cervical, Prostate, Leukemia, Skin
The Causes of Cancer
Cancer and Age, 99-107
Cancer and the Environment, 80-98, 203, 204-216
Viruses, AIDS, and Cancer, 98-99, 203-204
Heredity and Cancer, 125-131
The Genetic Basis of Cancer
The Cell Cycle, 147-150
Proto-oncogenes/Oncogenes, 133-147, 152-154
Tumor Suppressor Genes, 154-160
Cancer Treatment
Surgery, Radiation, and Chemotherapy, 218-226
Cytoreduction Theory and Cancer “Cure”, 226-243
Biotherapy, 250-268
Readings:
It will be expected that you have read the assigned reading for each topic prior to the lecture.
Guest Lecturers:
Periodically we will be having guest lecturers to speak on select topics.
Course Grade:
Hour exams (3 x 20%) 60%
Final exam 20%
Paper Presentation 20%
100%
Exams:
The exams will consist of fill-ins, multiple choice, true or false, matching, providing or completing diagrams or tables and critical and analytical thinking questions and problems covering lecture and reading material. The hour exams will be given on Tuesday, February 5; Thursday, February 28; and Tuesday, April 2. The final exam time will be announced. Only under exceptional (e.g., extreme illness or a death in your immediate family) and documented (e.g., doctor's note or mass card) circumstances will an excused absence from an exam be accepted and a make-up exam be given. The Biology Department's make-up days are Friday, March 15 and Friday, April 26 from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Paper Presentation:
In pairs during the two class periods on April 16 and 18 you will give an oral and written summation of two related primary literature research articles published no earlier than 1998. The papers must be on a topic related to any aspect of cancer biology. Consider your audience to be students in an upper level undergraduate Biology of Cancer class. Your paper choices must be turned in for initial approval by Profs. Almeida and Barry on Thursday, February 28. In the event that one or both of your primary literature articles is/are determined to be unsuitable the final due date for approval will be Thursday, March 21. Due Thursday, April 4 is a 1 page bulleted outline of your presentation that contains pertinent background information and that communicates clearly, critically, and without unnecessary detail the key features of the papers. Attached to the abstract should be a second page listing at least three additional sources, published no earlier than 1998, being used as references. For every school day that passes beyond any of the due dates you will receive a 10% penalty on the overall presentation grade...No exceptions. Your talk (both of you must have a speaking role) should be a succinct (7–10 min.), clear, articulate, and organized presentation of your findings. Use good public speaking skills, an engaging form of delivery, and Powerpoint slides. Each of the presentations will be evaluated by Profs. Almeida and Barry and each student in the class. The overall presentation grade will be calculated based on the following criteria: clear presentation of content (40%), demonstration of a good understanding of the material (20%), delivery (10%), appropriate abstract (10%), evaluation of other presentations (10%), ability to answer questions (5%), and keeping within the allotted time (5%). It is strongly recommended that you practice and time your presentation before giving it.
Assignment of Grades:
Grades will not be scaled. Letter grades will be assigned based on the following numerical scale:
A 93.5-100
A- 89.5-93.4
B+ 86.5-89.4
B 83.5-86.4
B- 79.5-83.4
C+ 76.5-79.4
C 73.5-76.4
C- 69.5-73.4
D 59.5-69.4
F 59.4 and below
Course Goals and Objectives:
To expand the student's knowledge base and expertise in the genetic, molecular, and organismal level aspects of cancer.
To provide students with practice in approaching the topics in an analytical and creative manner.
After having completed Biology of Cancer, you should be able to...
1. outline the stages of the eukaryotic cell cycle and the mechanisms by which cell cycle progression is regulated.
2. provide known alterations to the regulation of the cell cycle which lead to uncontrolled cell division.
3. identify oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes and their functions known to be linked with certain cancers.
4. describe the molecular mechanisms of cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesion, and the relevance to successful metastasis.
5. understand the health care system in this state and how much focus and money is given to cancer prevention and treatment
6. compare and contrast treatments such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, bone marrow transplants, etc.
7. detail the principles, methods, benefits, drawbacks, and clinical results of numerous immunological, molecular and antiangiogenic therapies.
8. examine current controversies such as screening methods, experimental protocols, etc.
9. relate current statistics, risk factors, warning signs, current detection, diagnostic, and treatment methods of breast, testicular, colorectal, lung, ovarian, cervical, prostate, leukemia, and skin cancers.