Lecture 1

Cancer

A disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body

Carcinoma

Cancer that begins in the skin or epithelial cells

Sarcoma

Cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective and supportive tissue

Leukemia

Cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue

Lymphoma and myeloma

Cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system

What is the most common cancer for men?

Prostate

What is the most common cancer for women?

Breast

What cancer has the highest death rate?

Lung and bronchus

What is the lifetime probability of developing cancer (prostate cancer) for males?

1 in 2 (1 in 8)

What is the lifetime probability of developing cancer (breast cancer) in females?

1 in 3 (1 in 8)

Is radiation therapy a localized or systemic therapy?

Localized

If a treatment is curative, what happens to the tumor?

Tumor is completely removed

If a treatment is palliative, what happens to the tumor?

Tumor size is reduced to reduce pain

Radiation therapy can be concurrent

Radiotherapy can be used with chemotherapy

Radiation therapy can be an adjuvant

Radiation therapy can used as an post operative treatment to decrease local reoccurrence

Why does radiation tend to damage more cancer cells than normal cells?

Cancer cells rapidly synthesize DNA

Pharmacodynamics

The study of the relationship between concentrations of a drug and its biological effects with time

Pharmacokinetics

The study of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs from the body

What is the dose required to produce a therapeutic effect?

ED50

What is the dose required to produce a toxic effect?

TD50

What is the therapeutic index/ window?

TD50/ED50