Download Inside Cancer Website Worksheet

Name: ________________________
AP Biology
Inside Cancer
Today you will be using the Inside Cancer website, developed by the Dolan DNA Learning Center. The URL
for the website is http://insidecancer.org You will be going through all parts of this site, reading each bit
of information. Please turn off the sound on the videos and simply read the script provided. This should take
you most of the hour.
Begin with the section called “Hallmarks of Cancer.” In this section, there are specific questions to answer.
Overview
1. What percentage of cancer is believed to be hereditary?
2. What are mutations? How are mutations related to cancer?
3. In general, why does the incidence of cancer increase with age?
4. What are the hallmarks of cancer?
Growing Uncontrollably
5. Write a brief summary of this section in the space below.
Evading Death
6. What is apoptosis? What does it have to do with cancer?
7. What happens to a cell when it dies?
Processing Nutrients
8. What is angiogenic? Why is it important?
Becoming Immortal
9. What are telomeres? What is the role of telomerase?
Invading Tissues
10. Two things play a role in death due to cancer. What are these two things?
Avoiding Detection
11. What is the role of the B cells and antibodies?
12. What is the role of the T cells?
13. What is adjuvant therapy?
Promoting Mutations
14. What are the three ways in which cancer causes changes within a cell?
Now go to “Pathways to Cancer.” This section provides an excellent overview of the process of cell
signaling. Go through each section and summarize it in the space below, answering any specific questions in
the process.
Overview
15. Write a brief summary of this section in the space below.
At Cell Surface
16. Write a brief summary of this section in the space below.
Beneath the Membrane
17. What is the role of Ras?
To Nucleus
18. Write a brief summary of this section in the space below.
Inside the Nucleus
19. Write a brief summary of this section in the space below.
Making the Protein
20. Write a brief summary of this section in the space below.
Releasing the Protein
21. Write a brief summary of this section in the space below.
The next section to look at is “Causes and Prevention.”
Overview
22. Of the 7 types of cancer listed, which is the most prevalent in the US?
23. Of the 7 types of cancer listed, which is the least prevalent in the US?
Smoking (all of the information on smoking is interesting, but you only have to look at 2 parts)
24. Briefly describe how the K-ras gene works.
25. What is the p53 gene? How does it work? What is its role in cancer?
Inheritance
26. There are 3 types of genes that contribute to cancer. What is the role of each?
Oncogenes:
Tumor Suppressor Genes:
Stability Genes:
There are four sections remaining, Diet, Mold, Viruses, and Sunlight.
27. Choose one of these sections and summarize the information in that section in the space below.
The final area is “Diagnosis and Treatment.”
Pathology
28. Go to slide 4. What analogy is used to describe cancer cells?
29. Look at the cancer cells in slides 5, 6, and 7. Can you recognize the cancer cells? How?
30. The last 3 sections deal with cancer treatment. Briefly summarize each segment below.
Pharmacogenetics:
Targeted Activators:
Blocking Receptors: