Magic Bullets: Chemistry vs. Cancer

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    Cyber Scavenger Hunt

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    Introduction
    Answer Key
    Relevant National Science Education Standards
    Relevant New Jersey State Science Education Standards

    Introduction

    As you select activities in this module to use with your students, you might consider those that model some aspect of the cancer chemotherapy story. Virtually all of today's research in cancer employs computer technology in some way. You might point this fact out to students as you introduce this "virtual scavenger hunt."

    This activity is designed to allow students to learn more about types of cancer, its diagnosis and its treatment and to gain experience in Internet-based research. The site is CancerNet at http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov/. When you are ready to begin the cyber scavenger hunt, write the URL so that each student can see it, then turn them loose. The speed of your local Internet connection and the time of day you choose to do this activity affects how long it will take.

    You could approach this activity as a competition, making it a real scavenger hunt, or simply as an assignment for each student. Students might work in teams or alone, depending on the number of computers and students you have.

    A printable student record sheet is provided for this activity in html or Microsoft® Word format. If you wish to edit the worksheet to suit your individual needs, use the Microsoft® Word version.

      Cyber-Scavenger Hunt Record Sheet in html format

      Cyber-Scavenger Hunt Record Sheet in Microsoft® Word format

    Answer Key

    1. What is carboplatin? (hint: there is a dictionary linked to this site)

      Answer: An anticancer drug that belongs to the family of drugs called platinum compounds.

      Relevant NCI Web site: Dictionary of Cancer Terms

    2. How many types of common cancers are listed?

      Answer: Ten.

      Relevant NCI Web site: Types of Cancer

    3. Among the causes of lung cancer, in addition to smoking, there is a radioactive gas and a mineral listed. Name them.

      Answer: Radon is the radiactive gas and asbestos is the mineral. Radon is an invisible, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas that occurs naturally in soil and rocks. It can cause damage to the lungs that may lead to lung cancer. People who work in mines may be exposed to radon, and, in some parts of the country, radon is found in houses.

      Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as fibers and are used in certain industries. Asbestos fibers tend to break easily into particles that can float in the air and stick to clothes. When the particles are inhaled, they can lodge in the lungs, damaging cells and increasing the risk for lung cancer.

      Relevant NCI Web site: Understanding Lung Cancer

    4. A lymphoma is a cancer that originates in what human system? What are some parts of this system?

      Answer: Lymphatic system (lim-FAT-ik)—the tissues and organs that produce, store, and carry white blood cells that fight infection and other diseases. This system includes the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes and a network of thin tubes that carry lymph and white blood cells. These tubes branch, like blood vessels, into all the tissues of the body.

      Relevant NCI Web site: What is Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma?

    5. What is the lifetime probability of breast cancer in American women?

      Answer: A report from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that about 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. The present estimate is higher than the 1-in-9 figure reported previously by the American Cancer Society (ACS), primarily due to inclusion of the oldest age groups in the new calculations.

      Relevant NCI Web site: Lifetime Probability of Breast Cancer in American Women

    6. What form of cancer is the drug paclitaxel used to treat?

      Answer: Paclitaxel (Taxol ®) is a compound originally isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew tree (Taxus brevifolia). It has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating breast and ovarian cancers as well as lung cancer and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma.

      Relevant NCI Web site: Paclitaxel (Taxol®) and Related Anticancer Drugs

    7. What are the ABCD's of melanoma symptoms?

      Answer: Often, the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, color, or feel of an existing mole. Most melanomas have a black or blue-black area. Melanoma also may appear as a new, black, abnormal, or "ugly-looking" mole.

      Thinking of "ABCD" can help you remember what to watch for:

      • Asymmetry—The shape of one half does not match the other.
      • Border—The edges are often ragged, notched, blurred, or irregular in outline; the pigment may spread into the surrounding skin.
      • Color—The color is uneven. Shades of black, brown, and tan may be present. Areas of white, grey, red, pink, or blue also may be seen.
      • Diameter—There is a change in size, usually an increase. Melanomas are usually larger than the eraser of a pencil (5 mm or 1/4 inch).

      Relevant NCI Web site: Signs and Symptoms of Melanoma

    8. What is the name (or abbreviation) for the blood test used to detect prostate cancer before a man has symptoms?

      Answer: Two tests are commonly used to detect prostate cancer in the absence of any symptoms. One is the digital rectal exam, in which a doctor feels the prostate through the rectum to find hard or lumpy areas. The other is a blood test used to detect a substance made by the prostate called prostate specific antigen (PSA). Together, these tests can detect many silent prostate cancers, those that have not caused symptoms.

      Relevant NCI Web site: Questions and Answers About Early Prostate Cancer

    9. How many "search options" do you have on this site?

      Answer: Four.

      Relevant NCI Web site: CancerNet Search Options

    10. What is leukemia?

      Answer: Leukemia is cancer of the blood cells.

      Relevant NCI Web site: What is Leukemia?

    Relevant National Science Education Standards

      Science in Personal and Social Perspectives — The activity explores the practical science of a personal and community health challenge, specifically cancer.

    Relevant New Jersey State Science Education Standards

      5.4 The activity explores the application of scientific knowledge to basic cancer fighting and prevention.
      5.5 The activity explores the workings of human beings as organisms with specific regard to cancer.
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