1-day course: Cancer Biology and Targeted Treatments for Solid Tumours: De-mystifying the Science for Cancer Nurses
Level: Intermediate (This course is ideal for cancer nurses or anyone involved in the delivery of cancer clinical trials. A refresher on concepts such as DNA, genes, proteins and the cell cycle is provided at the start of the day.)
Description: The focus of the day is on licensed targeted treatments for solid tumours, including monoclonal antibodies (eg. cetuximab, trastuzumab, panitumumab, bevacizumab) and small molecule kinase inhibitors (eg. erlotinib, gefitinib, lapatinib, vemurafenib, everolimus, temsirolimus, sorafenib, sunitinib, pazopanib, crizotinib). It also touches on experimental approaches such as PARP inhibitors and ALK inhibitors, as well as discussing the use of biomarkers and the possibility of personalised cancer care.
Programme
- Cells, DNA, chromosomes, genes, proteins
- Cell division & the cell cycle
- How cells communicate
- Oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes
- Causes, types and consequences of DNA damage
- An overview of current targeted cancer treatments
- Cell communication pathways as a key drug target
- Introducing monoclonal antibodies & small molecule kinase inhibitors
- Drugs that target epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR & HER2
- PI3K,AKT & mTOR inhibitors
- B-RAF & MEK inhibitors
Practical exercise
- Angiogenesis inhibitors
- ALK inhibitors
- PARP inhibitors
- Introduction to biomarkers
- The use of biomarkers to select patients for trials and treatments for patients
- The future of personalised cancer medicine