In this course we’ll help you move from overwhelm, confusion, and helplessness, to confidence, hope, and empowerment. 

We know that a cancer diagnosis can be daunting and overwhelming. Not only are you concerned about your health, or the health of a loved one, but you’re being given a lot of information and much of it may be new to you. We’re here to help. The CTOAM Precision Oncology Education and Self Advocacy Course will help you understand cancer and the latest advances in medical science. Our job at CTOAM is give you the information and support you need to play an active and central role in your care, or the care of a loved one.

By the end of this course you will understand the basics of cancer, standard care, and advanced treatments. The information is scientifically rigorous, yet presented in a way that is easy to understand and useful in your fight against cancer.

In the last 30 years there have been tremendous advances in cancer research and medical science.

While new treatments and technologies are saving lives worldwide most people don't know about them. Which makes sense because the science is advancing so rapidly that even top oncologists have trouble keeping up. To give you an idea of how quickly things move;

• There are almost 200,000 academic papers published each year that focus on cancer. That’s more than 400 papers a day. 
• Worldwide there are more than 90,000 active clinical trials related to cancer. These trials are testing new treatments and modified or combined treatment options. From these trials new treatments and diagnostics are approved almost every day. 

That’s a lot of new options you could be benefiting from and a lot of information to keep up with!

Our aim is to help you understand the world of cancer care, so that you and your family have the tools you need to get the best possible care.

The course begins with an overview of cancer. 

• We’ll explain how it develops, grows, and spreads, and the role of DNA and stem cells in this process. 
• We’ll help you understand pathology reports by explaining what stage and grade mean, and the five categories of cancer. 

Once you understand the basics we’ll introduce you to oncogenomics; 

• A new field of cancer medicine that aims to provide personalised treatment, matching the patient to the right treatment, the first time. 
• We’ll talk about where it's commonly used and how to gain access to it when its not part of your treatment plan.

After this we’ll explain both standard treatments and the latest advances made possible oncogenomics. 

• We’ll explain how radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery work, their benefits and limitations
• We’ll introduce you to and explain the science behind advanced and emerging treatments like immunotherapy and targeted treatments. 

Nurse administers chemotherapy.

Source: National Cancer Institute

This course will help you understand what's possible so that you are able to make educated decisions based on the latest advances in medical science. 

Our aim is for you to have the information you need to navigate the complex and often confusing medical systems so that you have the best odds of beating your cancer or supporting your loved one. By the end of this course you’ll understand the basics of cancer and cancer care so that you can better understand what your oncologist is telling you and ask informed and direct questions.

This knowledge will give you more confidence, and much less anxiety, when discussing treatment options with your oncologist, and more importantly you’ll feel less stress when making important decisions about your cancer care. You will also have more HOPE - real hope, grounded in scientific facts - and a simple, step-by-step strategy for navigating your cancer journey so you have the greatest chance of success and highest quality of life.

If you would like support with self advocacy or advocating for a loved one, and have step by step support in gaining access to the most advanced and clinically proven treatments, contact us. We’ll give you tools and supports you need to advocate for yourself, communicate with your medical team, and access the most cutting-age therapies. As Alex says “The future of medicine is already here, it's just not evenly distributed. But CTOAM helps you get there”