Biology of Cancer

Marie Winters, ND, FABNO

Speaker Biography:

Dr. Marie Winters ND, FABNO is a graduate of Bastyr University and practices naturopathic medicine at her private practice, My ND Integrative Health in Philadelphia, PA. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Bridgeport School of Naturopathic Medicine where she runs an integrative oncology shift and teaches several courses including Oncology, Pharmacology, and Dermatology. She serves as the Pennsylvania representative for the AANP House of Delegates, is a Co-Chair of their Legislative Committee, and is a member of the ABNO Board of Medical Examiners. In her spare time Dr. Winters likes writing, gardening, and traveling.

Abstract:

With 1.8 million cancer diagnoses every year, and 16.9 million cancer survivors in the US alone, every clinician is likely to encounter patients who have been diagnosed with cancer over the course of their career. In order to appropriately treat people who have been diagnosed with cancer, it is important to have a thorough understanding of its biology, as well as the basic histologic subtypes, and intricacies of tumor staging and grading.

This webinar will provide foundational knowledge about cancer. It will explore the most up-to-date theories about carcinogenesis, as well as the ten molecular hallmarks of carcinogenesis. We will review cancer histology and classification, and will give a framework for understanding the different systems for tumor grading and staging.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand and differentiate between the somatic mutation theory and the tissue-centric theories of carcinogenesis.

• Describe the ten cellular hallmarks of carcinogenesis.

• List specific molecular targets for cancer therapy.

• Classify cancers based on their histological features.

• Interpret and understand the significance of the TNM and Ann Arbor systems of cancer staging.

• Interpret and understand the significance of the Nottingham and Gleason systems of cancer grading.