Biology of Cancer Class Metastasizes Knowledge

Cancer, in all its forms, is a leading cause of death and serious disease. The pathology of cancer is very complicated. This combined with the fast pace of research and clinical innovation makes cancer biology a difficult topic, even for experts. As a consequence, patients who wish to gain a better understanding of cancer biology may find themselves stuck somewhere between the blog-a-sphere and technical journals. Cancer is a disease of miscommunication and confusion at the level of cellular signaling. In a sense, this theme of confusion extends to the experience of the patient. The body is in rebellion, perhaps refusing to cooperate with treatments. Not only the patient, but friends and family members may not understand what is happening and how to deal with it. Learning some basic cell and cancer biology may help to address these concerns. To meet this need, students from Boise State’s Molecular Biology of Cancer course translated their classroom experience into projects aimed at educating populations affected by cancer