3.2.1 Am I at Risk?
Risk Factors for Ovarian Cancer
Increase your risk:
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Decrease Your risk:
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American Cancer Society. (2015). What are the risk factors for ovarian cancer? [Accessed 6 February 2015]. Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovariancancer/detailedguide/ovarian-cancer-risk-factors
3.2.2 Skin Cancer Prevention
In this experiment we grew two separate plates of yeast cells, one a mutant type, which we wrapped in foil, and one a wild-type. After growing the yeast under a light, we were going to perform different experiments to try to protect them from the UV light. This would mimic that of our human skin cells. By doing this we learned that strategies such as wearing sunscreen or protective clothing would help cells from the UV light, thus being a medical intervention against skin cancer.
The plate of the left is the mutant plate (MUT.), this was wrapped in foil in the incubator to protect it from the light due to its sensitivity. The plate on the left was the wild-type (WT) that we incubated. As you can see, the wild-type plate had a lot more growth compared to the mutant, while the mutant had a decent amount of growth.
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3.2.3 Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention
Three classifications of cancer:
-Sporadic 70-80%: Cancer that occurs in people who do not have a family history of cancers. This can be due to environmental factors or changes that develop in someone's genes over time.
-Hereditary 5-10%: Cancer from genetic changes passed through genes from generation to generation. Those with a genetic component have a higher chance of developing certain cancers. Smith family with the BRCA2 gene.
-Familial 15-20%: Cancer occurring more often than expected in a family by chance.
-Sporadic 70-80%: Cancer that occurs in people who do not have a family history of cancers. This can be due to environmental factors or changes that develop in someone's genes over time.
-Hereditary 5-10%: Cancer from genetic changes passed through genes from generation to generation. Those with a genetic component have a higher chance of developing certain cancers. Smith family with the BRCA2 gene.
-Familial 15-20%: Cancer occurring more often than expected in a family by chance.
In this activity, we looked at the gel electrophoresis from a marker analysis of Laura Smith's, Jennifer Smith's, Diana Smith's, and Judy Smith's genes. We knew that Laura and Jennifer were positive for the BRCA2 gene. From the results it showed that both of them share allele 3, which Judy Smith also has. From this we can infer that allele 3 is associated with the BRCA2 gene mutation and assume that Judy Smith also has this mutation.
We also researched four categories of preventative measures that can be taken to reduce one's risk. The four categories are nutrition, physical activity, prophylactic surgeries, and hormonal or anti-estrogen therapy. For nutrition basically stay away from high caloric foods and drinks, eat whole grains, limit alcohol intake, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and limit intake of processed food. For teens get three hours of exercise a week, for adults get two and a half, and maintain a healthy body weight. Hormonal therapy blocks the action of estrogen on breast cancer cells and lowers the amount of estrogen in the body. Hormonal and anti-estrogen therapy can slow the rate of metastatic hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Prophylactic surgeries is basically removing the breast(s), preventing the tissue the become cancerous and is typically done in women who are at a high risk for developing breast cancer. |
The picture above displays the results of the gel electrophoresis. In this activity we also measured the Rf of each band by taking the distance the DNA migrated from the well in mm and divided it by the distance of the well (the origin) to the reference point which is the black line at the bottom in mm (this was 111 mm for all).
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3.2.4 Virology
Human Papilloma Viruses (HPVs)
-Group of 150 related viruses called papillomas or papilloma viruses.
-The infection causes warts and is spread by contact, 40 of the types are transmitted sexually.
-The main cancer it causes is cervical cancer.
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
-A type of herpes virus.
-Causes mononucleosis, the kissing disease. It is spread by coughing, sneezing, sharing drinks, or swapping saliva. EBV is a life-long infection, it infects B-lymphocytes.
-Increase the chance of nasopharyngeal (back of the nose) cancer, certain lymphomas, and some stomach cancers.
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
-HBV is caused by the hepatitis B virus and HCV is caused by the virus hepatitis C.
-It causes a liver infection called viral hepatitis and chronic infections (unlike hepatitis A). You can get it by sharing needles, childbirth, unprotected sex, or rarely infected blood entering the bloodstream. HBV causes flu like symptoms and jaundice. HCV is less likely to cause symptoms but is more likely to be chronic causing damage to the liver.
-Can cause liver cancer.
Human T-lymphotrophic Virus-1 (HTLV-1)
-Caused by the retroviruses T-lymphotrophic virus or T-cell lymphotrophic virus.
-It infects T-lymphocytes and is asymptomatic.
-It can cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma, lymphocytic leukemia these are known as ATL (adult T-cell leukemia or lymphoma).
American Cancer Society. (2014). Viruses that can lead to cancer. [Accessed 19 Feb. 2015]. Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/infectiousagents/infectiousagentsandcancer/infectious-agents-and-cancer-viruses
-Group of 150 related viruses called papillomas or papilloma viruses.
-The infection causes warts and is spread by contact, 40 of the types are transmitted sexually.
-The main cancer it causes is cervical cancer.
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
-A type of herpes virus.
-Causes mononucleosis, the kissing disease. It is spread by coughing, sneezing, sharing drinks, or swapping saliva. EBV is a life-long infection, it infects B-lymphocytes.
-Increase the chance of nasopharyngeal (back of the nose) cancer, certain lymphomas, and some stomach cancers.
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
-HBV is caused by the hepatitis B virus and HCV is caused by the virus hepatitis C.
-It causes a liver infection called viral hepatitis and chronic infections (unlike hepatitis A). You can get it by sharing needles, childbirth, unprotected sex, or rarely infected blood entering the bloodstream. HBV causes flu like symptoms and jaundice. HCV is less likely to cause symptoms but is more likely to be chronic causing damage to the liver.
-Can cause liver cancer.
Human T-lymphotrophic Virus-1 (HTLV-1)
-Caused by the retroviruses T-lymphotrophic virus or T-cell lymphotrophic virus.
-It infects T-lymphocytes and is asymptomatic.
-It can cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma, lymphocytic leukemia these are known as ATL (adult T-cell leukemia or lymphoma).
American Cancer Society. (2014). Viruses that can lead to cancer. [Accessed 19 Feb. 2015]. Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/infectiousagents/infectiousagentsandcancer/infectious-agents-and-cancer-viruses
A virologist is a scientist who specializes in the study of viruses and how they affect people. They use that to develop cures and vaccinations against viruses.