The course is designed to provide you with the skills to understand the molecular basis of cancer development and progression. It covers the development of various therapeutic treatment options and guides students to an assessment of the optimal treatment options available for various cancers. Students will explore the way cancer medicines are assessed for safety and efficacy and how patients are monitored for response to therapy. Recent advances in pharmacology, pharmacogenetics, molecular biology and data analysis have converged to revolutionise the treatment of cancer, extending patient lifespans and turning some cancers into chronic conditions. Targeted therapies are rapidly improving patient outcomes while reducing un-necessary exposure in patients unlikely to respond to a particular therapy. The future now is how to combine therapies and rationally choose the best treatment options for an individual patient at different stages of their disease. Finally we look into the ethics and economics of cancer therapy and how and who should bear the burden of cost for these new advances in clinical medicine.

Note: The course is an elective option for programmes 7370, 5504, 9060, 5371 and 9370.