The Ontario Molecular Pathology Research Network (OMPRN) is dedicated to improving the understanding of molecular pathology for everyone in the province. We have recently begun developing online educational resources for patients and members of the greater patient community, including family, friends, caregivers and the general public. The lessons that we have created mainly use a “micro-learning” format, which means they are brief, focused and get the point across quickly. The first three patient-oriented microlessons can be found on this page – stay tuned for more lessons in the future!
We encourage you to explore the lessons on this page to learn more about molecular pathology and how it is involved in cancer care and research. You can complete as many of these lessons in any order that you wish. We have included helpful information about the lessons, like its learning objectives, difficulty level and estimated time to completion to help you decide which lessons are right for you.
If there are any molecular pathology topics you would like to learn more about, please visit the Contact Us page to send us a message! Feel free to share these resources with anyone who you think might benefit.
Please note that any information you find here is for educational purposes only.
Lesson 1 – What is molecular pathology?
Lesson format: Infographic
Key topics
- molecular pathology
- cancer diagnosis
- cancer therapy
Level
- Beginner
Completion time
- 5 minutes
Accessibility
- Screen-reader compatible
- Image Alt Text
Lesson description
In this lesson, you will be introduced to the topic of molecular pathology. The lesson explores the definition of molecular pathology, lists some molecular pathology techniques and describes the ways molecular pathology is involved in cancer care.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, the learners will:
- understand the definition of molecular pathology;
- be able to name some techniques used in molecular pathology, and
- be able to explain how molecular pathology contributes to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Lesson preview
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE LESSON (PDF download)
Want to learn more?
Check out the links to these trusted resources to learn more about some of the topics covered in this lesson.
- Molecular Pathology and Molecular Hematology – Alberta Precision Laboratories
- Molecular testing – National Cancer Institute (NCI) Dictionary of Cancer Terms
- Biomarker testing for cancer treatment – NCI “About Cancer” webpage
Credits
Written by Kyster Nanan, OMPRN Project Manager and Education Lead
Reviewed by Karen Haas and Terry Hawrysh, OMPRN Patient Partners and Victoria Hoskin, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Version history
Published March 1, 2023
Lesson 2 – Liquid biopsy
Lesson format: Infographic
Key topics
- liquid biopsy
- cancer diagnosis
- cancer therapy
Level
- Beginner
Completion time
- 5 minutes
Accessibility
- Screen-reader compatible
- Image Alt Text
Lesson description
In this lesson, you will learn about a relatively new medical testing technique called liquid biopsy. The lesson describes the steps in liquid biopsy and explains some of its advantages compared to solid tissue biopsy. The lesson also covers how liquid biopsy can be used in cancer diagnosis and to monitor treatment.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, the learners will be able to:
- describe the liquid biopsy technique;
- describe some benefits of liquid biopsy;
- list at least two fluids that can be used for liquid biopsy;
- describe how liquid biopsy is involved in cancer care.
Lesson preview
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE LESSON (PDF download)
Want to learn more?
Check out the links to these trusted resources to learn more about some of the topics covered in this lesson.
- Liquid biopsy – NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
- What is circulating tumour DNA? – MedlinePlus
- Liquid Biopsy for Screening and Early Detection of Cancer – Canada’s Drug and Health Technology Agency (CADTH)
Credits
Written by Karen Haas, OMPRN Patient Partner
Reviewed by Kyster Nanan, Project Manager and Education Lead, Terry Hawrysh, OMPRN Patient Partner and Victoria Hoskin, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Version history
Published March 1, 2023
Lesson 3 – Being an active participant in your cancer care
Lesson format: Video
Key topics
- cancer diagnosis
- cancer therapy
- clinical trials
Level
- Beginner
Completion time
- 11 minutes
Accessibility
- Closed captions
Lesson description
Being involved in making cancer treatment decisions has been shown to benefit patients (Noteboom et al., 2021). In this lesson, you will learn about how you could actively participate in your cancer treatment. The lesson provides an overview of what active participation looks like, how you might begin and shares tips for communicating effectively with your healthcare team during the process.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, the learners will be able to:
- describe active participation;
- name some benefits of active participation;
- describe steps for incorporating active participation into their healthcare;
- describe techniques for communicating with healthcare team members.
Lesson preview
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE LESSON (YouTube video)
Want to learn more?
Check out the links to these trusted resources to learn more about some of the topics covered in this lesson.
- Deciding to take part in a clinical trial – NCI About Cancer
- Deciding whether to be part of a clinical trial – American Cancer Society
- Noteboom et al., 2021 – Patients’ preferred and perceived level of involvement in decision making for cancer treatment: A systematic review
Credits
Written and recorded by Terry Hawrysh, OMPRN Patient Partner
Edited by Kyster Nanan, Project Manager and Education LeadReviewed by Kyster Nanan, Karen Haas, OMPRN Patient Partner and Victoria Hoskin, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Version history
Published March 1, 2023
More lessons coming soon!
Those are all the patient-oriented lessons we have for now – check back later for updates as we continue adding to this resource. If you would like to learn more about the topics, you can follow the links we have provided with each lesson. If there are any molecular pathology topics you would like to learn more about of if you would like to leave us a comment about these lessons, please visit the Contact Us page to send us a message!
The trusted resources listed on this page are created by organizations or individuals with established expertise in healthcare and healthcare education.