Ateneo - UPO

Mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of diseases, including cell and
tissue damages, inflammation, and cancerogenesis

“Patologia Generale & Fisiopatologia Generale” Mainiero-Misasi-Sorice et
al. VI edizione Piccin Editore (Tomo I) - MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY WB
Coleman-GJ Tsongalis, Academic Press - Elsevier

knowledge of the mechanisms involved in cell damage, inflammatory
response and tumor development

Student should possess the fundamental basic knowledge of cell biology,
anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, histology, and medical genetics.

Lectures and seminars; the student is actively involved in the historical
framework and evolution of knowledge on pathogenetic mechanisms. The
student is provided with supplementary didactic material of the reference
texts. Students are encouraged to deepen some issues in group work.

Reading and critical analysis of relevant scientific articles.

Oral exam aimed at verifying the knowledge of the main pathologies and
mechanisms of cell damage, the ability to connect between the
pathological processes common to diseases, and critical skills. The vote
takes into account the knowledge and understanding of the teaching
contents and the ability to frame and critically discuss all the factors
involved in the pathogenesis of the neoplastic disease.

Incidence, prevalence and spread of the main human cancers. Criteria of
benignity and malignancy: Biological, cyto-morphological, behavioral and
clinical criteria that distinguish benign and malignant neoplasms.
Anatomical localization, histological typologies and histogenetic
derivation of the main tumors. Staging of tumors: the concept of grading.
Criteria for staging and grading of tumors.
Biological characteristics of the neoplastic cell.
Morphological, biochemical and behavioral atypia of neoplastic cells:
atypia
cytology of subcellular structures and organelles; fundamental
histological atypia of neoplastic tissues: biochemical atypia of tumor
cells; behavioral atypia (recognition disorders, intracellular adhesion,
motility and cell-matrix relationships).
Cell cycle modification in cancer cells and mechanisms involved in the
loss of control of cell differentiation and proliferation. Mechanisms of
resistance to apoptosis. Alterations of metabolism in tumors. Protooncogenes
and tumor suppressor genes. Alterations in the expression of
proto-ongogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Molecular events
associated with neoplastic transformation. Genetic alterations involving
karyotypic atypia and chromosomal aberration;
The process of carcinogenesis and its phases. Mono and polyclonal origin
of tumors. Stem cells of tumors. Carcinogenesis as a multiphase process;
the stages of carcinogenesis: initiation, promotion, progression.
Characteristics and molecular mechanisms involved in the stages of
carcinogenesis. The neoplastic progression: Characteristics of the
neoplastic progression: Heterogeneity of the neoplastic population and
genetic instability, factors of neoplastic progression. Selective events
conditioning the progression. Immune response to tumors.
Mode of growth of the neoplastic tissue; Relationships between tumor
and matrix; Tumor invasiveness. Angiogenesis of tumors. The metastatic
process: Stages of the metastatic process. Routes of metastasis.
Etiological factors of human tumors. Genetic factors of predisposition to
tumors. Hereditary diseases predisposing to the onset of tumors;
Hereditary genomic alterations in some human neoplasms.
Carcinogenesis by physical agents, by chemical agents, by viruses.
Oncogenic risk factors associated with lifestyle and work activities.
Local and systemic events associated with tumor development:
Neoplastic cachexia; Paraneoplastic syndromes

Knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms responsible for cell
damage, inflammatory and immune responses and mechanisms of
neoplastic growth as well as of the main pathophysiological processes
underlying the diseases
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding to the study of the
pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for human disease