About this course: Welcome to an Introduction to Breast Cancer! In this course, we’ll learn a bit about the leading cause of cancer in women worldwide – from the basic biology of the disease, to risk factors and prevention, to treatment modalities to survivorship. We’ll talk to leading experts, explore some of the milestone studies that have pushed this field forward, and have interactive discussions on discussion boards and social media. You’ll even have an opportunity to let us know what topics you want to cover on tweetchats, so we can try to make the content fit your interests. There is something in this course for everyone – if you’re a breast cancer survivor or the friend/family member of someone with this disease, this course will help you to better understand this disease, and give you ideas for questions you may want to ask your doctor. Maybe you’re a healthcare provider or studying to be the same, this course is a great refresher on where the state of the science is, and we may even be able to offer continuing medical education credits for completion. If you’re a healthcare administrator wondering about how the interdisciplinary components of breast cancer care fit together, or an entrepreneur thinking about unmet needs in this space, or someone in public health interested in prevention, this course is also for you! Are you ready to learn a lot, and have some fun while we’re at it? If so, I hope you’ll join us! Let’s get started!!!
Created by: Yale University
Taught by: Anees B. Chagpar, MD, MSc, MPH, MA, MBA, FRCS(C), FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery Director, The Breast Center -- Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven Assistant Director -- Global Oncology, Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center
Yale University School of Medicine
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Welcome to the Course!
2 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Welcome to the Course!
- Reading: Resources for the Course
- Video: Course tutorial
WEEK 2
Risks and Prevention
Join me as we start to learn about what breast cancer is, the epidemiology of this disease and the risks associated with it. In these lectures, we’ll talk about genetic mutations that predispose us to developing breast cancer. As you’ll find out, this goes far beyond just BRCA!
4 videos
- Video: An Introduction to Breast Cancer
- Slideshow: Introduction to Breast Cancer
- Video: Genetics
- Slideshow: Genetics
- Video: Prevention
- Slideshow: Breast Cancer Prevention
- Video: Interview with Erin Hofstatter, Co-Director of High Risk Program at Yale Cancer Center
Graded: Module #1: Risks and Prevention
WEEK 3
Under the Microscope
What is cancer and how does it work? Want to learn the fundamentals of what breast cancer is? The different “types” – what is in situ vs. invasive? What is lobular vs. ductal? What is grade vs. stage? And what do molecular subtypes refer to? Well, tune in! Learn about the hallmarks of cancer – what are the processes that actually lead to this disease? Maybe this will give you some ideas about how we can stop cancers in their tracks!
2 videos
- Video: Breast Cancer Basics
- Slideshow: Breast Cancer Basics
- Video: Pathophysiology
- Slideshow: Pathophysiology of Breast Cancer
Graded: Module #2: Under the Microscope – what is cancer and how does it work?
WEEK 4
Making the Diagnosis
Want to learn more about how to find breast cancers early, when they’re most treatable? This is the lecture for you! “Tissue is the issue” – learn how we actually do the biopsies to make the diagnosis of breast cancer. How do we stage breast cancer? Learn what tests we need to do and in whom in order to get this information!
3 videos
- Video: Screening
- Slideshow: Screening
- Video: Biopsy Techniques
- Slideshow: Biopsy Types
- Video: Staging
- Slideshow: Staging
Graded: Module #3: Making the diagnosis – how we find and stage breast cancers
WEEK 5
All About Surgery
How do we actually remove breast cancer? Is a lumpectomy just as good as a mastectomy? Find out in this session. There are many different options for reconstructing a breast after a mastectomy – from tissue expanders and implants, to using your own tissue. In this talk, we’ll explore some of these options. Why do we take out lymph nodes, and how? What are the side effects? Learn more about this in this session! Do you have questions about lymphedema? How do you prevent it? Can/should you lift weights after a lymph node dissection? Should you wear a sleeve if you are going on a plane? What about shaving, hand surgery, and having an iv placed? We’ll answer all of these questions in this session.
5 videos
- Video: Surgical Options
- Slideshow: Surgical Options
- Video: Reconstructive Options
- Slideshow: Reconstructive Options
- Video: Interview with Alex Au, Director of Breast Reconstruction at Yale
- Video: Lymph Node Evaluation
- Slideshow: Lymph Node Evaluation
- Video: Lymphedema
- Slideshow: Lymphedema
Graded: Module #4: All about Surgery
WEEK 6
Beyond the Knife
Learn all about radiation therapy – who needs it, when, what are the different types, and how do we minimize side effects. Who needs chemotherapy? What about hormonal therapy? What is targeted therapy? We’ll learn all about the drugs we use to treat breast cancer in this session.
4 videos
- Video: Radiation Therapy
- Slideshow: Radiation Oncology
- Video: Interview with Suzanne Evans, Breast Radiation Oncologist
- Video: Medical Oncology
- Slideshow: Medical Oncology
- Video: Interview with Lajos Pusztai, Chief of Breast Medical Oncology at Yale
Graded: Module #5: Beyond the Knife
WEEK 7
Potpurri
Not all breast cancers are the same. Let’s learn a bit more about inflammatory breast cancer, Paget’s disease, Male breast cancer, breast cancer in pregnancy and metastatic disease. Let’s talk all about clinical trials – what they are, how they are monitored, and some of the trials that have really moved the field forward. So, you or your patients have gotten through diagnosis and active treatment, and you’re now in the survivorship period. Great! But this poses a whole new set of issues as people adjust to their “new normal”. Learn about what these issues are, and a bit about survivorship care plans as well.
6 videos
- Video: Special Presentations
- Slideshow: Special Presentations
- Video: Clinical Trials
- Slideshow: Clinical Trials
- Video: Survivorship
- Slideshow: Survivorship
- Video: Interview with Tara Sanft, Director of Adult Survivorship Clinic
- Video: Office Hours 1
- Video: Interview with Lauren Baldassarre, Director of Cardio-Oncology at Yale
Graded: Module #6: Potpurri
Graded: Cancer Management through Clinical Trials
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Ratings and Reviews
Great course! easy to follow and understand
Very useful and introductory course. Even for non-biologists, this course is very informative if they want to gain an insight on breast cancer.
Dr. Chagpar is fantastic . the way she presented the information made it enjoyable and easy to be understood. the course material is very valuable and cover most of the topics about Breast cancer.
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PA
This course was really helpful in making me aware about breast cancer in a way that was easy to understand. I also appreciated the manner in which it was taught by Dr. Chagpar, from simply looking approachable and friendly, to the visual aids. Before starting the course, I read about how we are only afraid of things we don't know, how taking this course would make us informed and subsequently lessen that fear. That still resonates with me, and I believe this course was able to do that.