Course Description

Instructor: Karen Steinberg, PhD

We start with early beliefs about causes of cancer and then move to the 20th century when researchers discovered the genetic basis of cancer. We’ll learn the difference between sporadic cancers (about 90%) and cancers that occur because of rare family syndromes such as those caused by BRCA mutations. We’ll discuss how doctors estimate a person’s risk for cancer to help both doctor and patient decide about screening and prevention. We’ll also look at the risks and benefits of screening for cancer, for example, mammograms and lung scans. Finally, we’ll see where we are with regard to new and promising therapies.