Hallmarks and Signaling of Cancer Cells

Continuing Education Credits

• P.A.C.E.® Contact Hours: 1.5 hour(s)
• Florida Board of Clinical Laboratory Science CE Credit Hours -
  General (Molecular Pathology): 1.5 hour(s)

Objectives

• Describe how normal cells grow and cease to grow.
• Recognize the hallmarks of cancer with special attention to how cancer cells defy regulatory signals.
• Distinguish oncogenes from tumor suppressor genes.
• Explain the tumor microenvironment through glioblastoma (GBM).
• List the opportunities and challenges in drug re-purposing and cancer drug discovery.

Course Outline

• Topic 1: How do normal cells grow & halt growth?
• The Cell Cycle
• Cell Cycle Progression and Checkpoints
• Additional Cell Cycle Checkpoints
• The EGF/Ras Signaling: A Key Cell Growth Pathway
• At the end of a successful Synthesis (S) phase, the cell's chromosomes are ______.
• To initiate the Gap 1 (G1) phase of the cell cycle, _______ are required.
• The cellular checkpoint that blocks the transition from G1 to S is called ______.
• Oncogenes are defined as genes capable of transforming healthy cells into cancerous cells. Please identify oncogene(s) from the following choices:
• Topic 2: Cancer hallmarks (I)
• Cancer Hallmarks: An Overview
• Cancer Hallmark #1: Unstoppable Cell Growth
• Cancer Hallmark #2: Defying Growth Suppression
• Cancer Hallmark #3: Resisting Apoptosis
• Afatinib, Erlotinib, and Gefitinib are small molecule inhibitors that target non-small cell lung cancer positive for the _______ mutation.
• ______ is a complex molecule in that it is anti­-proliferative in healthy cells; by contrast, in cancer cells, especially late-stage cancer, it p...
• Features that characterize apoptosis include ___________.
• Topic 3: Cancer hallmarks (II)
• Cancer Hallmark #4. Unlimited Replication Potential
• Cancer Hallmark #5: Generating New Blood Vessels
• Cancer Hallmark #6: Migration and Invasion
• Cancer cells enable themselves with unlimited growth potential by activating a protein called _______ to extend the life span of telomeres.
• The cell division process usually slows down after approximately _____ rounds of divisions.
• Cancer cells migrate to adjacent healthy tissues and distal organs via _____.
• Topic 4: Cancer Hallmarks (III)
• Cancer Hallmark #7: Metabolism Going Haywire
• Cancer Hallmark #8: Escaping Immune Surveillance
• Cancer Hallmark #9: Promoting Inflammation
• Cancer Hallmark #10: Unstable Genome
• Opdivo and Keytruda are two FDA-approved drugs that enable activation of _______ by blocking PD-1.
• Each glucose molecule can be converted to generate ______ molecules of ATP as cellular fuel.
• _______ are capable of engulfing and ingesting unwanted cells, such as infected cells or cancer cells.
• Normal cells generate _____ molecules of ATP by breaking down one glucose molecule; by stark contrast, cancer cells only make _____ molecules of ATP b...
• Topic 5: A closer look at cancer through glioblastoma (GBM)
• Tumorigenesis Stages
• TGFβ signaling in glioblastoma
• Tumor Microenvironment
• There are multiple cell types in the tumor microenvironment. These include:
• Tumor development follows a progressive process described as:
• Topic 6: Treatment strategies - An approach of drug re-purposing
• Drug Repurposing - Old Drugs, New Tricks
• Aspirin: An Encouraging Story
• Drug Screening: 2D Versus 3D?
• Combination Anti-cancer Therapy: Opportunities and Challenges
• Orphan drugs refer to:
• According to the Mayo Clinic study, aspirin at _____ mg per day for two years shows a reduction of colorectal cancer incidence by 60%.
• References
• References

Additional Information