Cancer

PictureProstate Cancer, NPR
Under normal conditions, cells in the human body must divide to replace damaged or destroyed cells.  Usually various chemical signals indicate when cells should stop dividing and replicating. Sometimes, these signals are blocked or not created and cells continue to divide, resulting in a potentially cancerous growth.  Cancer, of any type, is a terrible disease that directly or indirectly affects nearly everyone in the U.S.  The American Cancer Society estimates that 1 in 2 of men and 1 of 3 women in the U.S. will develop cancer during their lifetime. Although improving technology has helped to improve survival rates, cancer still remains one of the most deadliest diseases.  In this unit we will examine what cancer is, why it occurs, how it might be stopped, and types of treatment.

Unit Standards

  • Cancer Standard 1: Ask questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring.
  • Cancer Standard 2: Use a model to illustrate the role of cellular division (mitosis) and differentiation in producing and maintaining complex organisms.
  • Cancer Standard 3: Make and defend a claim based on evidence that inheritable genetic variations may result from: (1) new genetic combinations through meiosis, (2) viable errors occurring during replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental factors.