OMPRN was invited to deliver a series of four weekly webinars in March 2025 titled: Foundations in Molecular Pathology: From Cancer Origins to Diagnostics as part of the “Be Well” series hosted by Wellspring.

Take a look at the 4 webinar instalments below:

OMPRN Resources linked to the topic:

Questions asked during webinar:

Question 1: What websites can I consult to look up clinical trials?
ClinicalTrials.gov – a global clinical trials registry
Canadian Cancer Trials Group: Is an academic cooperative oncology group that designs and conducts clinical trials testing cancer therapy, supportive care and prevention interventions across Canada.
Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network (3CTN): Is a pan-Canadian initiative to improve recruitment and the efficiency and quality of academic clinical trials in Canada.

Note: Talk to your doctor about additional trials that may not be listed on these websites.

Question 2: How does cancer spread to other parts of the body?
Cancer spreads when some of the abnormal cells break away from the original tumor, travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system, and settle in a new part of the body. This process is called metastasis.
To learn more about metastasis – look at our ‘how does cancer spread’ resource.

Useful Links:

  1. My CancerIQ is a website that helps you understand your risk for cancer and what you can do to help lower that risk.
  2. National Cancer Institute Article on cancer staging.
  3. Canadian Cancer Society- What is cancer
  4. Cancer Care Ontario – Cancer Type

OMPRN Resources linked to the topic:

Questions asked during webinar:

Question 1: Why is molecular pathology important for my cancer care?
Molecular pathology can help identify the exact type of cancer you have as well as what is driving its growth. This information can guide your treatment, by determining whether you’re a good candidate for a targeted therapy or a clinical trial. It’s a big step toward personalized medicine, where treatment is tailored to the unique features of your cancer.

Question 2: This sounds complicated—do I really need to understand molecular pathology as a patient?
Understanding a little about molecular pathology can really help you make sense of your diagnosis and treatment options. It explains why your doctor might order extra testing on your tumor tissue or why your treatment plan is different from someone else’s with the same type of cancer. It’s about giving you more personalized, effective care.

Useful Links:

  1. Genetics Education – Easy-to-understand info on genetics and molecular testing, including for cancer.

OMPRN Resources linked to the topic:

Questions asked during webinar:

Question 1: My clinical report has a lot of medical terms—how do I know what’s important?
Clinical reports can definitely be overwhelming. The most important parts for you to focus on are usually the diagnosis, tumor type, stage or grade, and any molecular findings (like mutations or biomarkers). Your healthcare team will go over the key parts with you, but it’s always okay to ask them to explain anything in plain language. It’s your report, and you deserve to understand it.

Question 2: If something is listed as “uncertain” or “not detected” in my report, should I be worried?
Not necessarily. “Uncertain” can mean that a finding isn’t fully understood yet, and more research is needed. “Not detected” just means that particular change or mutation wasn’t found in your tumor—it’s not a bad thing. Your doctor will help interpret what each result means for you, and how it fits into your overall treatment plan.

Useful Links:

  1. Tumor Marker Tests in Common Use
  2. MyPathologyReport is a trusted resource designed to help patients read and understand their pathology reports.

OMPRN Resources linked to the topic:

Questions asked during webinar:

Question 1: What is Precision Medicine and how can it help me?

Precision medicine is a medical approach that tailors treatment and prevention strategies to individual characteristics of each patient, such as genetics, environment, and lifestyle. Precision medicine utilises genetic and molecular profiling (special tests done in a medical lab) to achieve the goal of providing more effective and personalized healthcare.

Question 2: Why is it good for patients and family members to be actively involved in your cancer journey?

Healthcare staff can be very busy and time constrained during your clinical visits so its important to make the best use of your time. Prior to your appointments, its important to be prepared and have a list of questions ready that you would like answered. This could be related to your disease, diagnosis, testing, treatment and post-treatment path. Being prepared and informed also implies you and a family member doing some prior research from credible sources of information. At appointments, a family member can be another set of ears and can help to scribe, translate appointment conversations and also ask questions. The benefits of active involvement gives you a greater sense of control and confidence, helps build an open and collaborative relationship with your cancer care team and achieve personalized care in a way that’s important you.

Useful Links:

  1. The Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network (3CTN) is a pan-Canadian initiative to improve recruitment and the efficiency and quality of academic clinical trials in Canada.
  2. The Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) is an academic cooperative oncology group that designs and conducts clinical trials testing cancer therapy, supportive care and prevention interventions across Canada.
  3. The Ontario Clinical Oncology Group (OCOG) is an academic-based clinical trials development and coordination organization.