Principles and Practices in Systemic Treatments for Cancer

This course is designed to accommodate graduate students from a variety of backgrounds who wish to increase their understanding of cancer and its treatment. It will cover the full range of issues involved in the rational use of anti-cancer agents, from the older cytotoxic drugs through to newer agents targeted at particular steps in cell regulatory pathways. A broad overview of the pathology of cancer is included. Although drug mechanisms will be addressed, there is an equivalent emphasis on what these drugs mean to the patient. Students will consider the disease itself, the behavior of the diagnosed patient, the issues around drug administration, the extensive side effects and the various supportive strategies that are required to take the patient through the very stressful course of systemic cancer therapy.