BIOL 304 6380 The Biology of Cancer

Discussion Topic 1:

1). Explain in your own words how errors in mitosis could lead to the formation of cancerous cells as an organism (humans in particular for our focus) ages, and why errors in meiosis would not.

Mitosis is a delicate process that requires high fidelity to ensure the stability of the genome. Recent studies have revealed how errors in mitosis shape cancer genomes by driving both structural and numerical alterations in chromosomes contributing to the initiation of tumor formation and progression as an individual ages (Levine & Holland, 2018). However, errors during meiosis only alter the number of chromosomes, with no structural alteration, and only occur in reproductive organs leading to infertility and human birth defects rather than cancer.

2) Explain in your own words why cancer is often referred to as a disease of the cell cycle.

Cancer is normally referred to as a disease of the cell cycle because of the process of tumor formation from uncontrollable cell division and spread into neighboring tissues (Mercadante & Kasi, 2020). Cancer is usually caused by an alteration to the DNA.

3) Describe the relationship between hyperplasia and benign tumor growth.

Hyperplasia refers to an increase in the number of cells abnormally (Nandalur et al., 2021). Hyperplasia can result in a grossly enlarged organ which can lead to the formation of a benign tumor. Benign tumors are non-cancerous but considered an abnormal collection of cells.

Discussion Topic 2:

1). What are the 5 most common cancers based on 2020 data? What gender, race/ethnicity, and environmental/behavioral disparities exist according to the 2020 data regarding cancer and mortality rates?

According to the National Cancer Institute (2020), the most common cancers globally include breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, Colorectal cancer, and skin melanoma respectively. Among women, breast, lung, and colorectal cancer are the top three most common while men have reported high cases of prostate, colorectal, and lung cancer. Mortality rates due to cancer are however high among men than women. Regarding race and ethnicity, African American men have recorded the highest number of deaths from cancer, while Asian/Pacific Islander women have recorded the least. It is also reported that the rates of cancer are generally high in countries with high standards of living and educational levels. Additional disparities include financial burden and low screening rates.

2). As a society, how do you think we could decrease some of these disparities? How would you approach doing so? Would you begin at the local, state, national, or international level, so bottom-up approach or a top-down approach? Why? Give a brief proposal of where you would start and what you would do.

Evidence demonstrates that the best way of reducing cancer disparities is by promoting equitable healthcare (National Cancer Institute, 2020). I will start at the local level, by ensuring that healthcare facilities do not discriminate against cancer patients before I advocate for policy change at the national level. The policy change will help overcome racial, systemic social, and institutional inequalities.

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BIOL 304 6380 The Biology of Cancer References

Levine, M. S., & Holland, A. J. (2018). The impact of mitotic errors on cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Genes & Development, 32(9-10), 620–638. https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.314351.118

Mercadante, A. A., & Kasi, A. (2020). Genetics, Cancer Cell Cycle Phases. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563158/

Nandalur, K. R., Colvin, R., Walker, D., Nandalur, S. R., Seifman, B., Gangwish, D., & Hafron, J. (2021). Benign prostate hyperplasia as a potentially protective factor against prostate cancer: Insights from a magnetic resonance imaging study of compositional characteristics. The Prostate, 81(14), 1097–1104. https://doi.org/10.1002/pros.24207

National Cancer Institute. (2020, September 25). Cancer Statistics. National Cancer Institute; Cancer.gov. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics

Course Description

(For students majoring in both science and nonscience disciplines.) An overview of the biological basis of cancer. The goal is to apply knowledge of cancer biology to adopt appropriate lifestyle strategies and evaluate current treatments. The causes, development, and progression of cancer are considered at the level of cell structure and function. The roles of genes and proteins are also examined. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: BIOL 304 or GNSC 398C.

Course Introduction

Did you know that cancer is a leading cause of illness and death in the United States? Did you ever wonder how it develops and what you can do to reduce your risk of developing cancer? Understanding the difference between good and bad cellular growth is important, and knowing how to limit the growth of cancer cells is useful for maintaining good health.

In this course, we will discuss the different types of cancers; what factors (genetic, environmental, and behavioral) contribute to cancer development; and what are the most appropriate and useful treatments available in the fight against cancer.

Course Outcomes

After completing this course, you should be able to

â€¢ identify properties involved in maintaining homeostasis in order to recognize how certain factors contribute to cancer

â€¢ recognize the complexity of cancer and assess current approaches for screening, diagnosis, and treatment in order to adopt appropriate lifestyle strategies

â€¢ apply knowledge of causes, development, and progression of cancer to ask questions and make informed decisions about personal and public health

Course Materials

Click to access your course materials information

Class Guidelines

Contacting your Faculty Member

You can use the Instant Messages feature within the classroom to send a message to your faculty member, or you can use email. See the Overview section under Content to find the contact information for your faculty member.

Classroom Navigation

Are you new to UMGC and need help navigating the LEO classroom? Check out the Online Classroom Overview: For Undergraduate and Graduate Courses video on the Learning Experience Online website.

Helpful Resources

A. Orientation to Science Courses

Science Learning Center (SLC). You can enter this site from under Course Content. The SLC houses a set of instructional and support materials of use across the science curriculum. Currently, the SLC houses two items:

The Scientific Method Tutorial – This module provides an excellent description of the Scientific Method. This method is integral to all science, and is important for our course.

The Science Studies Tutorial – This piece is designed to provide students with some tips and strategies for taking a science course. Some of the strategies in this unit are generic and apply to students’ general study habits for all courses. Other segments of the unit are specific to taking a science course. This unit is short and should not take more than 30-40 minutes to complete. I recommend that you read the unit during the first couple of weeks of the semester. If you have difficulty with science, then the Science Study Skills Unit is a MUST READ.

B. Orientation to College Writing

i. College Writing Essentials

The majority of content is written in the studentâ€s own words, and directly quoted content is limited to less than 10% of total content
Introduction previews the main points, and conclusion summarizes main points
Ideas are presented clearly, follow sound logic, and flow coherently and cohesively
Content is expressed using standard grammar, punctuation and spelling conventions
Paragraph content reflects reasonable transitions
Content reflects synthesis and critical analysis of referenced sources
Ideas are supported by referenced evidence, and full citations are provided for all reference sources
ii. Citing and Writing Page (https://sites.umgc.edu/library/libhow/gethelp-citing.cfm) On this page you will find links to tutorials and resources to help you become a better researcher and writer, through proper attribution and citation of your sources, and the avoidance of academic dishonesty.

iii. Effective Writing Center (EWC). You can access helpful writing resources through UMGCâ€s Effective Writing Center (EWC). The EWC provides excellent information for improving your writing skills, writing a paper, incorporating citation formats, and many other writing skills. https://www.umgc.edu/current-students/learning-resources/writing-center/index.cfm

iv. The Research Assignment Calculator for Time management of your research papers. https://libapps.umgc.edu/calculator/calculator.shtml

C. Library Guide for the Sciences

The UMGC library has developed resources to aid in the research of science-related databases, Websites, books, and e-books. The Library Services site also provides information on how to find articles, and 24-hour access to UMGC librarians. The link to the Library Guide can be found at http://libguides.umgc.edu/science.

ii. Tips for Success

Get books and materials before the semester begins
Log in to online classroom before the semester begins
Complete orientation (if new online college student)
View and print the syllabus and mark calendar with important course dates
Read start-up/orientation materials posted by faculty member

Begin the course work on time and early (in the first 1-2 days of the semester)
Start weekly assignments early in the week (Do not wait until 1-2 days before they are due) Check the online classroom, classroom messages and announcements, and your email every 1-2 days for new information
iii. Student Participation Expectations

a. Time Commitment:

Now that you have read the Syllabus, you should recognize that this course requires active student participation. An online course requires you to put in at least the same amount of time as an in-classroom course. During this 8-week semester, you will be expected to work 15 -18 hours per week in order to keep up with the fast pace of the course. Some students will manage with less, while some may need more time. Active participation is required in all online courses, and you should expect to log in to your online course several times a week.

b. Study and Work Habits:

Summing Up a Successful Online Student. An online course places more responsibility on the student (and subsequently more independence) than a face-to-face course. Therefore, a successful online student must exercise more self-discipline than a face-to-face student. A successful online student is one who:

reads the Course Schedule’s assigned reading material thoroughly before responding in a conference
prepares personal study notes (like classroom notes) each week from the reading assignment addressing key points, key figures, and defines any bold-faced terms
considers outlining the course material for personal study
participates two-to-three times per week in discussions and avoids late-week discussion comments
engages the material and others with enthusiasm and courtesy
schedules adequate time to do the work
asks for help when needed
interacts with others in the class
is self-motivated
turns in well-drafted, proofed, and properly cited and referenced assignments prior to their due dates
keeps copies of all work and instructor responses in case of an emergency
Use of Turnitin in this Course

This course uses Turnitin, a software tool embedded in the online classroom to support the development and assessment of academic writing, including ensuring the authenticity of student work through a Similarity Report that highlights any matching areas in your paper found in another submitted paper in the Turnitin repository using a range from 0% to 100%. The use of Turnitin in this class is different than how it may have been used in your other classes in that there is no need to create a separate account. You only need to submit your assignment within the classroom. Shortly after you submit your assignment you will receive helpful feedback to improve your writing from within the Turnitin software tool.

You can submit your assignments to Turnitin multiple times before the assignment due date. Once you submit an assignment to the Assignment folder, your assignment will be submitted automatically to Turnitin generating a Similarity Report. When a Similarity Report is available for viewing, a similarity score percentage will be made available that can be accessed from the Assignment folder by selecting the Submitted link located under “Completion Status” or by clicking the View History button. Here are additional instructions for how to view the Turnitin report within the assignment folders if needed: https://libguides.umgc.edu/turnitin-students

NOTE: It may take a few moments for the report to be available. If you have any questions about the use of Turnitin for your assignments, please reach out to your instructor directly via the in-class messenger or email. If you are experiencing any difficulty accessing the Similarity Report, please visit the Turnitin support site: https://help.turnitin.com/feedback-studio/d2l/student/student-category.htm

Remember that you will not use your account at Turnitin.com for this course; the tool is already embedded in assignment folders.

Copyright Protected Course Materials

All UMGC course materials, including quiz and exam questions, discussion questions, lab and writing assignments are copyright protected and the property of UMGC. Do not share any course materials on the internet. Sharing, or submitting, any materials from this course is a direct violation of U.S. and International Copyright Law. Civil Penalties for Copyright Violation currently range from $750 to $30,000 per violation.

Additionally, posting of quiz or assignment questions to online “answer” or “homework” websites is academic fraud. This type of activity is a direct violation of

UMGC’s code of conduct, Policy 151.00 section III-A, and
UMGC’s Policy 150.25 – Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism.
If you are caught engaging in this type of activity you risk sanction by the university. Possible sanctions include:

A grade of F on the work in question
A grade of F in the course
Suspension from the university for Academic Dishonesty
Expulsion for Academic Dishonesty
Please do your own work and don’t risk these consequences!