Demystifying Targeted Cancer Treatments

Thanks to ground-breaking research in cancer over the past 20 years, new, more targeted treatments have been developed that are changing the way we treat cancer, and providing new hope for patients. This free online course from Cancer Research UK, will explore the science behind new targeted cancer treatments, how they work, and the patients they benefit. We’ll look at the side effects these treatments can cause and understand the impact they have on patients’ quality of life. Then discover some of the innovative approaches on the horizon and debate the future of cancer treatment. Develop your knowledge and improve communication with patients and colleagues Nurses and members of the clinical research team play a fundamental role in ensuring patients fully understand their treatment and the potential side effects. This course will equip you with the knowledge and understanding to communicate more confidently with your patients receiving targeted treatments, and more knowledgeably with your colleagues. Over the 5 weeks we’ll explore: what targeted cancer treatments are and how they are used today why many targeted treatments block proteins involved in cell communication pathways the unique properties of blood cancers and targeted therapies used to treat them how we harness the immune system to treat cancer and various immunotherapy strategies current challenges we face including drug resistance and the implementation of biomarker tests for more personalised cancer treatment the future promise of targeted cancer treatments Each week you’ll have the opportunity to engage in discussion with other learners on key issues. Learn with experts This course will draw on the knowledge of experts in the field of cancer research. Our lead educator, Elaine Vickers of Science Communicated Ltd, will demystify the science behind how targeted treatments work. We’ll speak to leading scientists and doctors involved in treating patients and advancing medicine. Experienced research nurses will share their knowledge and practical advice, and we’ll hear directly from patients about their experiences of treatment.