Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Development and Actionable Genes
Continuing Education Credits
This course covers some basic genetic principles as well as how changes to the genetic code can lead to carcinogenesis. The course also addresses how personalized medicine is aided by molecular diagnostics to match the patient with the correct targeted therapy.
Objectives
- Describe basic genetics principles including DNA replication and repair.
- Discuss how changes to the genetic code can lead to tumor formation.
- Describe the role that genetics and the environment play in carcinogenesis.
- State what personalized medicine is and the benefit that patients will receive if they are candidates for personalized medicine.
- List technologies used by molecular diagnostics laboratories to genotype patient tumors in order to match them with the correct targeted therapy.
Course Outline
- Genetics
- Basic Mendelian Genetics
- Basic Mendelian Genetics, continued
- Darwinian Evolution
- Which of the statements below is true according to the Law of Independent Assortment?
- True or False: A gene with 2 different alleles is termed heterozygous.
- Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
- Nucleic Acid
- Protein
- True or False: According to the central dogma of molecular biology, DNA must be translated into RNA before being transcribed into protein.
- What are the 3 components of a nucleotide?
- DNA Replication
- Transcription
- Translation
- What is the process of DNA duplication called?
- In RNA, what is the correct base pairing between nucleotides?
- Stem Cells
- Chromosomes
- Karyotype
- Cell Cycle
- How many pairs of chromosomes does a human with a euploid karyotype have?
- What is the central point where two chromatids are joined called?
- DNA Damage and Repair
- Mutation Types
- Germline Mutations versus Somatic Mutations
- True or False: A mutation in a somatic cell will be passed onto offspring.
- True or False: Germline mutations can be passed down to offspring.
- DNA Damage
- Genetic Contributions to Cancer
- Physical Carcinogens
- Chemical Carcinogens
- Oncogenic Viruses
- What are the three classifications of carcinogens?
- Which of the following would be considered a chemical carcinogen?
- DNA Repair
- Single-Strand Break Repair
- Double-Strand Break Repair
- Which of the following is an example of a type of single-strand repair?
- Which type of DNA repair is used to fix a single base that was added to a DNA strand without proper base-pairing?
- Tumorigenesis
- Tumorigenesis
- Hallmarks of Cancer
- How do cancer cells become immortal?
- Tumor Suppressors
- Oncogenes
- Which of the following is a mechanism that a cancer cell uses to hide from the immune system?
- True or False: An oncogene's loss of function can lead to cancer formation.
- Personalized Medicine
- Biomarkers
- Molecular Methods for Biomarker Detection
- PCR
- Sanger Sequencing
- Next-Generation Sequencing
- Next-Generation Sequencing Technologies
- Which technology is most often used to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or point mutations, such as those found in oncogenes?
- Chemotherapy
- Companion Diagnostics
- Immunotherapy
- Personalized Medicine
- What is a companion diagnostic?
- References
- References
Additional Information
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Intended Audience: This course is for molecular biology bench technicians, technologists, supervisors, and administrators. This course is also appropriate for molecular biology students, medical laboratory science students, and pathology residents.
Author Information: Tabetha Sundin, PhD, HCLD(ABB), MB(ASCP)CM, has over 10 years of laboratory experience in cancer biology and clinical molecular diagnostics. She is the Scientific Director of Molecular Diagnostics and Serology at Sentara Healthcare. Dr. Sundin has served as a Speaker for AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb, covering multidisciplinary facilitation of biomarker testing in cancer patients. She has been an active member of the Association of Molecular Pathology (AMP). She is involved with numerous efforts to support the molecular diagnostics field with American Medical Technologists (AMT) and the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI).
The author has no conflict of interest to disclose.
Reviewer Information:
Laurie Bjerklie, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM, is
a Lead Education Developer. She earned a B.S. in Medical Laboratory Science
from the University of North Dakota and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction
from Saint Xavier University. She has over 15 years of experience in higher
education and has held program director and faculty positions in both MLT and
MLS programs.
Kevin F. Foley, PhD, DABCC, MLS, SC, is the Northwest chemistry, toxicology, immunology, and POC director for Kaiser Permanente. He also teaches pharmacology, clinical chemistry, immunology, and medicinal chemistry at Oregon Health Sciences University. Dr. Foley earned his PhD in clinical pharmacology and toxicology at the East Carolina School of Medicine in North Carolina. His research areas include cardiovascular risk and inflammation markers, as well as the neuropharmacology of amphetamine-like compounds. He frequently contributes to several clinical laboratory publications and is active in the American Association of Clinical Chemistry.
Course Description: This course covers some basic genetic principles and how changes to the genetic code can lead to carcinogenesis. It also addresses how molecular diagnostics aid personalized medicine in matching the patient with the correct targeted therapy.