Cancer Biology

Course Overview

The healthcare system is a rapidly evolving field with new research leading to advancements in medicine. Developed at Johns Hopkins University and led by top-ranked Hopkins faculty and cancer experts, this specialization on Cancer Biology focuses on the basics of cancer biology, how cancer metastasis occurs, and specifically, screening guidelines for prostate cancer, the most common cancer in American men. This specialization starts with an Introduction to the Biology of Cancer, introduces the molecular biology of cancer and the biologic hallmarks of cancer. The course also describes the risk factors for the major cancers worldwide, including lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer. Experts at Johns Hopkins University explain how cancer is staged, the major ways cancer is found by imaging, and how the major cancers are treated. The specialization takes a deeper dive in Understanding Cancer Metastasis, explaining how cancer spreads or metastasizes. This course will describe the major theories of metastasis and then describe the biology behind the steps in metastasis. The course also describes the major organs targeted by metastasis and describes how metastases harm the patient. Lastly, it focuses on Understanding Prostate Cancer, providing you with the tools to examine the incidence of prostate cancer, including risk factors, stages, and treatments at each stage.