Cancer epidemiology and pathogenesis
A.A. 2024/2025
Obiettivi formativi
The course aims to transfer to the students the basic knowledge of tumor pathogenesis. Emphasis will be placed on epidemiology, medical genetics and epigenetics notions as well as mechanisms of oncogenesis that may be translationally applicable to tumor therapy.
Risultati apprendimento attesi
Analysis of frequency and distribution of tumors to find the cause of cancer, identify and develop novel treatments.
Alteration of cancer cell and cancer stem cell biology.
Molecular mechanisms of cancer pathogenesis of solid tumors and hematological malignancies, with particular focus on the most innovative findings concerning the hallmarks of cancer.
Alteration of cancer cell and cancer stem cell biology.
Molecular mechanisms of cancer pathogenesis of solid tumors and hematological malignancies, with particular focus on the most innovative findings concerning the hallmarks of cancer.
Periodo: Terzo trimestre
Modalità di valutazione: Esame
Giudizio di valutazione: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Corso singolo
Questo insegnamento non può essere seguito come corso singolo. Puoi trovare gli insegnamenti disponibili consultando il catalogo corsi singoli.
Programma e organizzazione didattica
Edizione unica
Responsabile
Periodo
Terzo trimestre
Programma
The course will focus on two main topics:
Epidemiology of cancer
The "vocabulary" of clinical oncology for medical biotechnologist. Analysis of frequency, distribution and trend of major neoplasms on a European perspective. Major causes of cancer, to identify and develop strategies for prevention and control. Epidemiology and problems of rare cancers. Precision and personalized oncology.
Pathogenesis of cancer
The hallmarks of cancer and cancer stem cells: self-renewal, replicative immortality, cancer initiating activity and metastasis, resisting cell death. Models of cancer organization and therapeutic implications. Pathways involved in stemness maintenance; methods and limitations in studying cancer stem cells. Tumor microenvironment and the cancer stem cell niche. Cancer cell plasticity and genetic instability. Effect of tumor microenvironment on cell plasticity. Senescence: promoting and inhibiting effects in cancer progression, outcome on cancer cell and tumor microenvironment; therapeutic implications. Tumor microenvironment: cytokine pro-tumor effect and cytokine directed anti-cancer therapy. Genome instability: definition and cause; the catalogue of mutations as a tool to monitor the neoplastic progression and to assess the patient's therapeutic response. Epigenetic reprogramming: modifications of DNA methylation and histone modifications in cancer, therapeutic use of methylation inhibitors and histone acetylase inhibitors. Epigenetic reprogramming in cancer through non-coding RNA.
Epidemiology of cancer
The "vocabulary" of clinical oncology for medical biotechnologist. Analysis of frequency, distribution and trend of major neoplasms on a European perspective. Major causes of cancer, to identify and develop strategies for prevention and control. Epidemiology and problems of rare cancers. Precision and personalized oncology.
Pathogenesis of cancer
The hallmarks of cancer and cancer stem cells: self-renewal, replicative immortality, cancer initiating activity and metastasis, resisting cell death. Models of cancer organization and therapeutic implications. Pathways involved in stemness maintenance; methods and limitations in studying cancer stem cells. Tumor microenvironment and the cancer stem cell niche. Cancer cell plasticity and genetic instability. Effect of tumor microenvironment on cell plasticity. Senescence: promoting and inhibiting effects in cancer progression, outcome on cancer cell and tumor microenvironment; therapeutic implications. Tumor microenvironment: cytokine pro-tumor effect and cytokine directed anti-cancer therapy. Genome instability: definition and cause; the catalogue of mutations as a tool to monitor the neoplastic progression and to assess the patient's therapeutic response. Epigenetic reprogramming: modifications of DNA methylation and histone modifications in cancer, therapeutic use of methylation inhibitors and histone acetylase inhibitors. Epigenetic reprogramming in cancer through non-coding RNA.
Prerequisiti
The student must have acquired the fundamental concepts of the biological and molecular pathogenetic mechanisms of cancer (alteration of proliferation, apoptosis and genetic instability), of the statistical analysis and the basic laboratory techniques for the study of cellular functions, phenotype and genome.
Metodi didattici
Method of teaching through frontal lessons supported by visual presentations and discussion of the concepts acquired.
The teaching material relating to the lessons presented in the classroom will be available on the Ariel platform in the form of a pdf file. Course attendance is mandatory.
The teaching material relating to the lessons presented in the classroom will be available on the Ariel platform in the form of a pdf file. Course attendance is mandatory.
Materiale di riferimento
Pdf files of presentations. Review article and original papers on different topics.
Modalità di verifica dell’apprendimento e criteri di valutazione
The exam will be a written questionnaire of six open-ended questions on the topics listed in the program for the duration of one hour and a half.
The evaluation parameters will include the ability to organize the answers, the ability to critically reason on the study carried out and to integrate the notions acquired; the quality of the exposition, the competence in the use of the specialized vocabulary.
The mark will be expressed in thirtieths and will be the mean of the marks obtained in the six questions.
To pass the exam, all the answers must be sufficient.
The result of the written exam will be communicated on the Ariel portal.
The evaluation parameters will include the ability to organize the answers, the ability to critically reason on the study carried out and to integrate the notions acquired; the quality of the exposition, the competence in the use of the specialized vocabulary.
The mark will be expressed in thirtieths and will be the mean of the marks obtained in the six questions.
To pass the exam, all the answers must be sufficient.
The result of the written exam will be communicated on the Ariel portal.
Moduli o unità didattiche
Blood diseases
MED/15 - MALATTIE DEL SANGUE - CFU: 2
Lezioni: 14 ore
Docenti:
Bolli Niccolo', Fattizzo Bruno
Turni:
General pathology and immunology
MED/04 - PATOLOGIA GENERALE - CFU: 2
Lezioni: 14 ore
Docente:
Chiaramonte Raffaella
Turni:
Turno
Docente:
Chiaramonte Raffaella
Medical oncology
MED/06 - ONCOLOGIA MEDICA - CFU: 1
Lezioni: 7 ore
Docente:
Casali Paolo Giovanni
Turni:
Turno
Docente:
Casali Paolo Giovanni
Medical statistics
MED/01 - STATISTICA MEDICA - CFU: 1
Lezioni: 7 ore
Docente:
La Vecchia Carlo Vitantonio Battista
Turni:
Turno
Docente:
La Vecchia Carlo Vitantonio BattistaDocente/i
Ricevimento:
da concordare via email
Laboratorio di Ematologia, Padiglione Marcora secondo piano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milano
Ricevimento:
da concordare appuntamento via email
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano
Ricevimento:
previo appuntamento
Ospedale San Paolo, via di Rudinì 8, Milano. Blocco C, 7° piano.
Ricevimento:
15:30 - 18:30 LUN-VEN previo accordo via mail
Ospedale Policlinico di Milano, via F Sforza 35, padiglione Marcora, ambulatori di Ematologia
Ricevimento:
su appuntamento telefonico