How Cancer is Studied

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e-Training Quiz Introduction first and then return here.

Overview

This content has been reviewed by the National Cancer Institute for accuracy and completeness.

In the How Cancer is Studied section we will move away from teaching basic biology and will now provide you with the information to help you better understand the research process itself, as well as the tools and technologies utilized. As depicted in the image below, work moves from the DNA level into cells, tissue, organs and finally into humans.

Image Courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

This section is divided into the four generally recognized research fields (basic, translational, clinical and epidemiology). We will discuss them in enough depth so you will have a good working understanding of each field when you are finished. We will begin with some basic background information to help you understand how research is studied.

• Background
• Basic Research
• Translational Research
• Clinical Research
• Epidemiology