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	4.9 stars Average User Rating 4.9See what learners said

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

FAQs

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Creators

Yale University

For more than 300 years, Yale University has inspired the minds that inspire the world. Based in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale brings people and ideas together for positive impact around the globe. A research university that focuses on students and encourages learning as an essential way of life, Yale is a place for connection, creativity, and innovation among cultures and across disciplines.

Ratings and Reviews

Rated 4.9 out of 5 of 239 ratings

Thank you for all your input into this course, I found this course really interesting and it helped me develop in my role as a nurse and believe I have a better understanding of breast cancer and also the fact that I can refer back to my notes and clinical trials is good to have

Awesome! A lot of insightful information about breast cancer. A good course for those who want a basic understanding of breast cancer.

Excelent teacher and topics, thanks a lot!

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.