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Course Detail

Course Name Cancer Biology
Course Code 24MMD206
Program B. Sc. Honors (with Research) in Molecular Medicine
Semester 3
Credits 3
Campus Kochi

Syllabus

Preamble

Cancer is defined as uncontrollable cell growth. The complexities of the causes and the different types of cells that give rise to this disease have underscored the need for a better understanding of the basic biology of cancer. Advancements in basic and biomedical research have led to more effective treatments, enhanced detection methods, and better prevention strategies. This course aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the biology and pathology of cancer. This course will cover the genetic and molecular basis of cancer, role of mutations in cancer cells, and how they lead to the dysregulation of essential biological properties like programmed cell death, cell proliferation and differentiation, invasion and metastases, cancer etiology and epidemiology. 

Unit 1

Introduction: Introduction to carcinogenesis; Clonal origins of cancer, Clinical data.

Unit 2

Pathology of Cancer: Defining a neoplasm; Classification of cancers.

Unit 3

Epidemiology: Identifying causes for human cancers; Criteria required to establish causality; Biomarkers; Molecular epidemiology; Factors influencing carcinogenesis in humans.

Unit 4

Genetic Basis of Cancer: Oncogenes; Tumour suppressor genes; Genetic instability in cancers; Clinical evidence linking DNA repair and carcinogenesis.

Unit 5

Chemical and Radiation Carcinogenesis: Chemical carcinogenesis; Radiation carcinogenesis; Predicting the type of carcinogen by mutational spectrum analysis.

Unit 6

Familial cancers: Cancers with strong and weak familial links; Connection with sporadic cancers.

Unit 7

Growth of Cancers: Balancing cell proliferation, death and differentiation; Growth regulation and signal transduction; Hydrophobic growth regulatory molecules; Interaction between cell and its environment.

Unit 8

Invasion and metastasis: Invasion; Intravasation, Transport in the bloodstream, Extravasation; Angiogenesis, Genes involved in metastasis.

Unit 9

Cancer therapy: Principles behind the treatment of cancer; Different modalities of treatment; New forms of treatment.

Unit 10

Cancer prevention: Various approaches to cancer prevention; Statutory regulation of physical and chemical carcinogens, Preventable causes in certain types of cancers.

Objectives and Outcomes

Course outcome (CO)

CO1: To understand the basic aspects of carcinogenesis, clonal origin and pathology of cancers and epidemiology of cancers

CO2: To understand how genetics contributes to predisposition and progression of cancer as well as familial cancers

CO3: To understand chemical carcinogenesis and radiation carcinogenesis

CO4: To understand significance of apoptotic cell death pathways and growth factor signaling pathways in cancer

CO5: To understand concerted events underlying invasion and metastasis of cancer, therapeutic modalities and preventable causes of cancers

Program outcome (PO)

PO1: Bioscience Knowledge

PO2: Problem Analysis

PO3: Design/Development of Solutions

PO4: Conduct Investigations of complex problems

PO5: Modern tools usage

PO6: Bioscientist and Society

PO7: Environment and Sustainability

PO8: Ethics

PO9: Individual & Team work

PO10: Communication

PO11: Project management & Finance

PO12: Lifelong learning

3 = High Affinity, 2 = Medium Affinity, 1 = Low Affinity, – = No Affinity

PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6 PO7 PO8 PO9 PO10 PO11 PO12
CO 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 1
CO 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 1
CO 3 3 1
CO 4 3 1
CO 5 3 1 3 2 1

 

Program Specific Outcome (PSO)

PSO 1 – Chemical and physical basis of biology

PSO 2 – Computational science in biology and medicine

PSO 3 – Biochemical and physiological complexity in biology and medicine

PSO 4 – Molecular technology in biology and medicine

PSO 5 – Cell based approaches in diagnosis and therapy

PSO 6 – Microorganisms in medicine

PSO 7 – Nanoscale entities and its significance in medicine

PSO 8 – Tissue architecture engineering in medicine

PSO 9 – Compounds as drugs and its efficacy

PSO 10 – Bioinformatics and artificial intelligence in medicine

PSO 11 – Technology in personalizing medicine

PSO 12 – Protein structural complexity in medicine

PSO 13 – Projecting science and medicine to public

PSO1 PSO2 PSO3 PSO4 PSO5 PSO6 PSO7 PSO8 PSO9 PSO10 PSO11 PSO12 PSO13
CO 1 3 2 2
CO 2 3 2 3 2
CO 3 3 2
CO 4 3 3
CO 5 3 3 3 2 1 2

Evaluation Pattern

Internal Assessment – 50% 

Periodical 1 

Exam 

20% 

Periodical 2 

Exam 

20% 

Continuous Assessment 

Assignment/Test/Quiz

10% 

50%

End Semester Examination- 50% 

Theory Exam 

50% 

50%

Total

100%

Text Books / References

(1) Roger J. B. King & Mike W. Robins. Cancer Biology, 3rd Edition, Pearson and Prentice Hall, 2006.

(2) Robin Hesketh. Introduction to Cancer Biology, Cambridge University Press, 2012 (ISBN: 9781107601482).

(3) Weinberg, Robert A. The Biology of Cancer, Second Edition. New York: Garland Science, 2013.

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