LIVESTRONG: TARGETING TUMORS
CALLING ALL FERNANDO DOCTORS. SEVERAL PATIENTS HAVE ARRIVIED IN
THE HOSPITAL AND NEED YOUR HELP WITH A DIAGNOSIS.
BIG QUESTION:
How can a doctor target tumors in a cancer patient?
Materials:
Folder with Patient Information
Patient: Body Outline
Cancer Cells: Stickers
Treatment Plan Sheet
Doctor Handbook
Objectives:
1. Create a model, using the materials provided, that shows
the location of cancerous tumors in a patient.
2. Write a patient treatment plan using the treatment plan
sheet as a guide.
RUBRIC:
ITEM
Patient model with
locations of all
tumors. Tumors are
represented as a
group of stickers.
Effort and teamwork
Written treatment
plan that uses
information from the
reading and
accurately describes
the patient’s
condition.
Correctly identifies
patient’s cancer
POINTS POSSIBLE
15
5
25
POINTS EARNED
5
Patient #1: L. Hamilton
Country of Residence: England
Body scan shows a mass of tissue in the lung. Mass appears to be
localized in the lung. Does not appear to be growing.
Body scan also shows signs of abnormal tissue growth in the bone
marrow of the fibula (lower leg bone). Appears to have spread in
the blood stream to the upper thigh, pelvis, and right humorous
(upper arm bone). This growth appears to be different than the
growth found in the lung.
TASK:
1. Use the materials provided to show where the cancer is
located in the patient’s body. (AS A GROUP)
2. Evaluate the body scan and the doctor handbook to give a
diagnosis for the patient’s treatment.
(AS A GROUP)
3. Answer the patient treatment plan questions on a separate
sheet of paper
(INDEPENDENTLY)
PATIENT PROFILE
Patient #2: B. Kobayashi
Country of Residence: Japan
Body scan shows a mass of tissue in the stomach. Mass appears to
be localized in the stomach. Does not appear to be growing.
Body scan also shows signs of abnormal tissue growth in the bone
marrow of the fibula (lower leg bone). Appears to have spread in
the blood stream to the upper thigh, pelvis, and right humorous
(upper arm bone). This growth appears to be different than the
growth found in the lung.
TASK:
1. Use the materials provided to show where the cancer is
located in the patient’s body. (AS A GROUP)
2. Evaluate the body scan and the doctor handbook to give a
diagnosis for the patient’s treatment.
(AS A GROUP)
3. Answer the patient treatment plan questions on a separate
sheet of paper
(INDEPENDENTLY)
PATIENT PROFILE
Patient #3: F. Ricciardo
Country of Residence: Australia
Body scan shows a mass of tissue in the stomach. Mass appears to
be localized in the stomach. Does not appear to be growing.
Body scan also shows signs of abnormal tissue growth in the
pigment cells of the lower arm. Appears to have spread in the
blood stream to the upper arm, left shoulder, and abdominal
muscles. This growth appears to be different than the growth
found in the stomach.
TASK:
1. Use the materials provided to show where the cancer is
located in the patient’s body. (AS A GROUP)
2. Evaluate the body scan and the doctor handbook to give a
diagnosis for the patient’s treatment.
(AS A GROUP)
3. Answer the patient treatment plan questions on a separate
sheet of paper
(INDEPENDENTLY)
PATIENT PROFILE
Patient #4: J. Button
Country of Residence: England
Body scan shows a mass of tissue in the lung. Mass appears to be
localized in the lung. Does not appear to be growing.
Body scan also shows signs of abnormal tissue growth in the
pigment cells of the lower arm. Appears to have spread in the
blood stream to the upper arm, left shoulder, and abdominal
muscles. This growth appears to be different than the growth
found in the stomach.
TASK:
1. Use the materials provided to show where the cancer is
located in the patient’s body. (AS A GROUP)
2. Evaluate the body scan and the doctor handbook to give a
diagnosis for the patient’s treatment.
(AS A GROUP)
3. Answer the patient treatment plan questions on a separate
sheet of paper
(INDEPENDENTLY)
PATIENT TREATMENT PLAN
DOCTOR ANALYSIS
Doctor ___________
Patient #_________
After performing a BIOPSY, what did you discover about your
patient’s condition?
How fast do you predict the cancer(s) to be growing?
Has the cancer spread to different parts of the body?
What do you believe is the next step for treatment? WHY?
SURGERY
CHEMOTHERAPY
RADIATION THERAPY
TARGETED THERAPY
Why is cancer potentially dangerous?
(Think about the difference between benign and malignant tumors)
CANCER TREATMENT
SURGERY:
Surgery can be used to diagnose, treat, or even help prevent cancer
in some cases. Most people with cancer will have some type of
surgery. It often offers the greatest chance for cure, especially if
the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body.
CHEMOTHERAPY:
Chemotherapy (chemo) is the use of medicines or drugs to treat
cancer.
Chemo may be used to shrink tumors before surgery or
radiation.
It may be used after surgery or radiation to help kill any
cancer cells that are left.
It may be used with other treatments if the cancer comes back.
Sometimes the goal is to slow the growth of the cancer. Other
times the goal may be to reduce tumors so that you feel better.
Chemo is often used to fight cancers that have spread to other
parts of the body.
Chemo kills cancer cells. These drugs can affect normal cells,
too. But most normal cells can repair themselves.
RADIATION THERAPY:
Radiation therapy uses high-energy particles or waves to destroy or
damage cancer cells. It is one of the most common treatments for
cancer, either by itself or along with other forms of treatment.
TARGETED THERAPY:
Targeted therapy is a newer type of cancer treatment that uses drugs
or other substances to more precisely identify and attack cancer
cells, usually while doing little damage to normal cells.
Antibody drugs are man-made antibodies (like fighter cells)
that have been designed to attack certain targets on cancer
cells.