Course Overview

The remarkable success of the Human Genome Project makes it critical for surgeons to have a basic understanding of molecular biology, especially as related to oncology. Genetic mechanisms of cancer formation and utilization of new molecular tumor markers will have important applications in the areas of diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. In the future, it will be more and more important for surgeons and other physicians to understand when the standard of patient care should include molecular biological approaches.

These lectures were presented as part of a day-long symposium on Saturday, August 21, 1999 at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.