Hallmarks and Signaling of Cancer Cells

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Author: Nancy Liu-Sullivan, PhD
Reviewers: Kevin F. Foley, PhD, DABCC, MLS(ASCP)SC and Judi Bennett, BSM, MLS

In the year 2000, Dr. Douglas Hanahan and Dr. Robert Weinberg depicted six hallmarks of cancer. Over the span of the next decade, drawing upon new discoveries and additional insight, they also delineated four additional cancer hallmarks. This course reviews how normal cells grow and cease to grow. It also describes the ten hallmarks of cancer with special attention to how cancer cells defy regulatory signals. Oncogenes are distinguished from tumor suppressor genes in this course.

Continuing Education Credits

Objectives

  • Describe how normal cells grow and cease to grow.
  • Recognize the hallmarks of cancer with special attention to how cancer cells defy regulatory signals.
  • Distinguish oncogenes from tumor suppressor genes.
  • Explain the tumor microenvironment through glioblastoma (GBM).
  • List the opportunities and challenges in drug re-purposing and cancer drug discovery.

Course Outline

  • How do Normal Cells Grow and Halt Growth?
      • The Cell Cycle
      • Cell Cycle Progression and Checkpoints
      • Additional Cell Cycle Checkpoints
      • The EGF/Ras Signaling: A Key Cell Growth Pathway
      • What is the state of the cell's chromosomes at the end of a successful S (Synthesis) phase of the cell cycle?
      • Which of the following is required to initiate the Gap 1 (G1) phase of the cell cycle?
      • What is the name of the cellular checkpoint that blocks the transition from the G1 phase to the S phase?
      • Oncogenes are defined as genes capable of transforming healthy cells into cancerous cells. Which of the following are classified as oncogenes?
  • Cancer Hallmarks
      • Cancer Hallmarks: An Overview
      • Cancer Hallmark #1: Unstoppable Cell Growth
      • Cancer Hallmark #2: Defying Growth Suppression
      • Cancer Hallmark #3: Resisting Apoptosis
      • Afatinib, erlotinib, and gefitinib are small-molecule inhibitors used to treat non-small cell lung cancer that is positive for which of the following ...
      • Which of the following molecules is considered complex because it acts as an anti-proliferative agent in healthy cells, but promotes cellular prolifer...
      • Which of the following are characteristic features of apoptosis?
  • Cancer Hallmarks, continued
      • Cancer Hallmark #4. Unlimited Replication Potential
      • Cancer Hallmark #5: Generating New Blood Vessels
      • Cancer Hallmark #6: Migration and Invasion
      • Which protein do cancer cells activate to extend the lifespan of telomeres and enable unlimited growth potential?
      • The cell division process usually slows down after approximately how many rounds of division?
      • Through which process do cancer cells migrate to adjacent healthy tissues and distal organs?
  • Cancer Hallmarks, continued
      • Cancer Hallmark #7: Metabolism Going Haywire
      • Cancer Hallmark #8: Escaping Immune Surveillance
      • Cancer Hallmark #9: Promoting Inflammation
      • Cancer Hallmark #10: Unstable Genome
      • Opdivo® and Keytruda® are two FDA-approved drugs that enable activation of which immune cells by blocking PD-1?
      • Each glucose molecule can be converted to generate approximately how many molecules of ATP as cellular fuel?
      • Which type of cell can engulf or ingest unwanted cells, such as infected cells or cancer cells?
      • How many molecules of ATP are generated by normal cells from one glucose molecule, and how many molecules of ATP do cancer cells typically produce fro...
  • A Closer Look at Cancer Through Glioblastoma
      • Tumorigenesis Stages
      • TGF-β Signaling in Glioblastoma
      • Tumor Microenvironment
      • Which cell types are found in the tumor microenvironment?
      • How is tumor development described as a progressive process?
  • Treatment Strategies: An Approach of Drug Repurposing
      • Drug Repurposing - Old Drugs, New Tricks
      • Aspirin: An Encouraging Story
      • Drug Screening: 2D Versus 3D
      • Combination Anti-Cancer Therapy: Opportunities and Challenges
      • What does the term orphan drugs refer to?
      • According to the Mayo Clinic study, what daily aspirin dosage taken for two years shows a 60% reduction in colorectal cancer incidence?
  • References
      • References

Additional Information

Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Intended Audience: Medical laboratory scientists, medical laboratory technicians, pathology residents, MLS students, and other health care personnel who have an interest in this subject matter. 
Author information: Nancy Liu-Sullivan holds a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology from Stony Brook University School of Medicine. Dr. Liu-Sullivan served as a senior research scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) prior to joining the biology faculty at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York (CUNY).
The author has no conflict of interest to disclose.  
Reviewer information:
Kevin F. Foley, PhD, DABCC, MLS(ASCP)SC is the director of clinical pathology for the Kaiser Permanente Northwest region. He also teaches clinical chemistry at Oregon Health Sciences University. Dr. Foley earned his PhD in clinical pharmacology and toxicology at East Carolina School of Medicine in North Carolina. He received a PhD in clinical pharmacology and toxicology from Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC. 
Judi Bennett, BSM, MLS is an Education Developer with MediaLab by Vastian, bringing over 30 years of experience as a medical laboratory scientist. Before joining MediaLab in 2010, she held key leadership roles, including Clinical Laboratory Manager, Microbiology Supervisor, and Senior Systems Analyst at Gwinnett Health System in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Her extensive knowledge of laboratory operations and a strong commitment to healthcare quality and education fuel her passion for developing engaging and effective learning tools for the next generation of laboratorians. 

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Table 1. Repurposed drugs (adapted from the FDA, USA)
Figure 5. Stages of carcinogenesis
Figure 7. GBM tumor microenvironment
Figure 8. Two-dimensional (2D) versus three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems