Understanding Cancer Metastasis

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Understanding Cancer Metastasis

This course is part of Cancer Biology Specialization

Instructors: Kenneth J. Pienta, M.D.

70,695 already enrolled

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6 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

2,540 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

6 hours to complete

Learn at your own pace

6 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

2,540 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

6 hours to complete

Learn at your own pace

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

6 assignments

Taught in English

97%

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This course is part of the Cancer Biology Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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There are 6 modules in this course

Over 500,000 people in the United States and over 8 million people worldwide are dying from cancer every year. As people live longer, the incidence of cancer is rising worldwide, and the disease is expected to strike over 20 million people annually by 2030.

Everyone has been, or will be touched by cancer in some way during their lifetime. Thanks to years of dedication and commitment to research we’ve made enormous advances in the prevention and treatment of cancer, But there is still a lot of work to be done. In this course, physicians and scientists at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine explain how cancer spreads or metastasizes. We’ll 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.

In this first module, we'll concentrate on the history and overview of metastasis and give you a flavor of how cancer is defined as well as some of the history surrounding how we began to understand metastasis.

What's included

5 videos1 assignment

In this module, we'll focus on uncontrolled cell division, which is a defining property of cancer, as well as mutation and neoangiogenesis and their roles in tumor formation. We'll also take a look at a primary tumor microenvironment and its component cell types.

What's included

5 videos1 assignment

5 videosTotal 36 minutes

Introduction to Primary Tumor Growth and Neoangiogenesis1 minute
Tumor formation: Uncontrolled cell division12 minutes
The role of mutations in primary tumor formation and evolution11 minutes
Neoangiogenesis: new blood vessel formation in cancer5 minutes
The primary tumor microenvironment: what else affects primary tumor growth?6 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Primary Tumor Growth and Neoangiogenesis30 minutes

During this module, we'll turn our attention to the next steps after the initial primary tumor formation, epithelial to mesenchymal transition of cancer cells, and local tumor invasion and intravasation into blood or lymph vessels.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment

We'll now take a close look at cancer survival within the circulation, the role of the circulatory system in metastasis, the genetic determinants of metastatic potential, signalling mechanisms, chemokines, the dock and lock hypothesis, and extravasation.

What's included

6 videos1 assignment

6 videosTotal 31 minutes

Introduction to Survival in the Circulation and Extravasation1 minute
Glossary of Terms2 minutes
The Circulation4 minutes
How cancer cells survive while in circulation5 minutes
Becoming a circulating tumor cell (CTC) and evading immune detection11 minutes
Homing to a new site in the body and extravasation8 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Survival in the Circulation and Extravasation30 minutes

In this module, we'll focus on dormancy and secondary tumor growth and how they contribute to the lethality of cancer.

What's included

6 videos1 assignment

In the previous modules, we've looked closely at the sequential steps of metastasis and some of the biology of how metastasis occurs. Now, we'll turn our attention to morbidity and mortality, or in other words, how cancer hurts and kills people.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment

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Instructors

Instructor ratings

(618 ratings)

Kenneth J. Pienta, M.D.

Johns Hopkins University

3 Courses260,979 learners

Jelani Zarif

Johns Hopkins University

1 Course70,667 learners

Sarah Amend

Johns Hopkins University

1 Course70,667 learners

Offered by

Johns Hopkins University

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Reviewed on Jun 3, 2018

It is a beautifully designed course. it never gets boring. The best part is that you can learn at your own pace. Thank you all the instructors and Coursera for making the content available.

Reviewed on Jul 29, 2017

it was an amazing course! everything was clear and well-explained.. i had fun and learned alot! thank you coursera! this was my first course and i really enjoyed every minute of it!

Reviewed on Jan 27, 2024

After finishing this course on cancer metastasis, i feel like i will be better at understanding the complex concepts oncology and it is like unlocking a new ability..!

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