Cancer biology
- Cancer cell properties that differentiate it from normal cell biology:
- Carcinogenesis and tumour growth, including mechanisms of:
- angiogenesis
- metastasis
- proliferation
- tumour cell invasion
- Cell cycle and programmed cell death:
- control by oncogenesis
- interaction with therapy
- Cell mechanics, including cell adhesion and contact inhibition
- Gene regulation and dysregulation
- Intracellular signalling
- Mechanisms of drug resistance:
- changes in drug transport
- intrinsic versus inherited
- mutations in target protein or pathway
- Molecular alterations as they relate ttherapeutic targets
- Protein function and aberration
- Tumour immunology:
- concepts of:
- cellular
- humoral
- immune checkpoints that can be therapeutically targeted
- immune system components
- immuno-evasion
- immuno-surveillance
- regulatory action of cytokines on the immune system
- tumour and host immune systems inter-relationship:
- action of cytokines on tumours
- antigenicity
- immune-mediated antitumour cytotoxicity
Epidemiology of cancer
- Interpret measures of frequency and trends of disease, such as:
- incidence
- mortality and morbidity:
- associated with the most common malignancies worldwide and within Australia / Aotearoa New Zealand
- odds ratio
- prevalence
- relative risk
- Place epidemiological data from local and international sources intp context
Principles of cancer screening
- Cancer development:
- Preventive measures for cancer development:
- cancer control programs:
- health promotion
- national screening programs
- prophylactic interventions:
- chemoprevention
- surgery
- vaccine
- resources available
- Promote health literacy for cancer prevention:
- cancer prevention strategies:
- counsel patients appropriately regarding risk factors for subsequent malignancy
Scientific foundations of oncology
- Aetiology of genetic and environmental factors in oncogenesis
- Identification of risk factors for subsequent malignancy, such as modifiable and non-modifiable risks
- Biomarkers:
- Indications for, and interpretation of, advanced molecular testing, such as:
- circulating tumour DNA
- next generation sequencing (NGS)
- Interpretation of histopathological results
- Omics, such as:
- genomic
- metabolomic
- proteomic
Communication
- Breaking bad news
- Cancer survivorship, such as:
- dietary
- exercise
- psychosocial wellbeing
- secondary malignancy risk
- Discuss:
- clinical trials
- end-of-life care, including voluntary assisted dying
- prognosis formulation and estimation, including the use of aids in the formulation, estimation, and explanation of prognosis, risks, and benefits of treatment options
- Unfunded / Novel therapy:
- embedded compassion-based practices
- management of complex family dynamics
Principles and conduct of oncology clinical trials and research
- Clinical trial design:
- eligibility
- end points:
- study types and their respective benefits and limitations:
- case reports
- differences between phase I, II, III, and IV studies
- meta-analysis
- observational studies
- randomised control trials
- registry analyses
- systematic reviews
- Conduct of clinical trials:
- adherence protocol requirements and ensuring safe, patient-centred care in conduct and recording
- clinical trial assessments, such as:
- common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE)
- response evaluation criteria in solid tumours (RECIST)
- ethics and governance
- Good Clinical Practice
- Interpretation and communication of statistical analyses in relation clinical trials, and how it relates clinical practice
