Personalized Medicine in Cancer Treatment and Care

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Malignant cancer arises through sequential steps including activation of oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms (Hallmarks of Cancer). During solid cancer growth, tumor cells interact continuously with their normal non-malignant neighbors (microenvironment) and co-opt cells of the immune system, fibroblasts, endothelial cells etc. These interactions’s both positively and negatively affect tumor growth and have a crucial role in tumor initiation and progression and therapy outcome. Genomic analyses of human tumors have shown these are genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous and that this heterogeneity underlies differential outcome and response between patients. The identification of this tumor heterogeneity has led to the development of individualized approaches directed against a subset of cancer cells with patient-specific characteristics (personalized medicine). Using expert lectures, practical assignments, a journal club and through discussion of real world cases within tutor groups both basic and clinical aspect of personalized medicine will be discussed together with biologists and clinicians, thereby taking into account the latest developments within the field with a focus on treatments involving radiation therapy. Other aspects of personalized medicine, which will be discussed, include the involvement of patients in decision making and new interactive methods to facilitate this shared decision making between physician and patient. Finally methodologies, which are used to determine how cost-effective a treatment is, will be discussed. These economical facts are increasingly important in our expensive healthcare system and provide challenging ethical considerations for our society. Number of available places: 25