cancer: control and combat · activity 5: nutraceuticals 6.7 activity 6: functional foods 6.8...

STEM Works!

Science / Cancer: Control and Combat 6.1

Learning for Life and Work through ScienceKey Stage 3

Cancer: Control and CombatOverviewPupils explore the importance of scientific research in the advancement of medicine. They analyse statistical information and investigate nutraceutical developments in cancer treatment.They carry out scientific investigations to explore the effects of nutraceuticals on cell growth. They also investigate ethical and moral issues relating to cancer research and treatments.

Curriculum Links

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These activities allow pupils to:

• Develop skills in scientific methods of enquiry to further scientific knowledge and understanding:

- obtaining evidence; - presenting and interpreting

results;• research scientific information

from a range of sources; and• develop a range of practical

skills, including the safe use of science equipment.

Learn about:Organisms and Health:

• interdependence of plants and animals;

• cells, genes and reproduction; and

• healthy body and mind.

In the context of the following Key Elements:

• Explore physical, chemical and biological effects on personal health (Personal Health);

• Recognise and challenge over-simplistic or distorted generalisations about science with informed and balanced responses and take responsibility for choices and actions (Moral Character);

• Explore some ethical dilemmas arising from scientific developments (Ethical Awareness); and

• Consider how the development of scientific ideas or theories relate to the historical context (Cultural Understanding).

Health and Safety Warning CCEA has assessed the health and safety risks associated with these activities. However, we strongly recommend that all teachers leading these activities carry out their own health and safety assessment, taking into account the ability of the students, the school’s resources and its quality of equipment, etc.

Cancer: Control and Combat / Science6.2

ContentsOverview 6.1

Curriculum Links 6.1

Key Questions 6.2

Prior Learning 6.2

Learning Intentions and Success Criteria 6.3

Skills and Capabilities 6.3

Activity 1: History of Medicine 6.5

Activity 2: Causes and Risks 6.5

Activity 3: Biggest Killers 6.6

Activity 4: Patterns and Trends 6.6

Activity 5: Nutraceuticals 6.7

Activity 6: Functional Foods 6.8

Resources 6.11

Useful Websites 6.39

Key Questions• Why is scientific research important for medicine and our health?• What are the biggest killers in the world?• Can these deaths be prevented?• Which disease will be the biggest killer in the future?• Does lifestyle really affect our health?• Would you be willing to try new drugs to treat disease?• What if you had a terminal illness?

Prior Learning• the function and structure of cells;• genes and DNA; and• basic nutrition.


Learning Intentions Success Criteria

Pupils are learning:

• how scientific research has led to advances in medicine and will continue to do so in the future;

• that health is affected by disease;• about risk factors to our health;• about current scientific research in cancer and

possible future treatments; and• there are ethical and moral issues relating to

cancer research and treatment.

Pupils will:

• be aware of the importance of basic research to advance medicine and health science;

• understand basic information about cancer including types, causes, risk factors and treatments;

• explain the risk factors associated with health;• understand how maintaining a healthy lifestyle can

reduce the chances of getting cancer;• know how to take more responsibility for their own

health;• analyse statistics on the incidence of cancer in

Northern Ireland;• use a range of practical skills to help to

understand the future of cancer treatment; and• evaluate some ethical issues facing cancer

research today.

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Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities Cross-Curricular Skills

Thinking, Problem-Solving, Decision-Making:

• use trends and patterns to make simple predictions;

• use specific evidence to support an argument; and

• consider ways of ensuring greater reliability.

Using ICT:

• research, select, edit and use information from a range of digital assets;

• process found or self-produced information, including text, data, sound, still or moving images, and combine these to create, present and communicate their work showing an awareness of audience and purpose;

• use appropriate ICT tools and features to carry out ongoing improvements and reflect on process and outcome; and

• organise, store and retrieve their work.

Managing Information

• establish own sequence for investigation;• identify limitations in information;• evaluate usefulness of information; and • record and present information in a range

of formats taking into account audience and purpose.

Using Mathematics

• plan and work systematically and efficiently; • make and test simple predictions, summarise

their findings and make general statements; and• use appropriate mathematical language to express

and communicate ideas precisely.


Asse

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ties Cross Curricular Skills Assessment Tasks available

Communication: Cancer: Control and Combat (Writing)

Using Mathematics: Cancer: Control and Combat (Handling Data)


Activity 1

STEM Futures – Health and Life SciencesShare with the class the Health and Life Sciences sector profile which is available in the Sector Profiles section of the STEM Futures folder and online at: www.nicurriculum.org.uk/stem

Ask each group to discuss the sector and record the following:• one thing they already knew about the sector;• two things they have learned; and• one thing that has surprised them about the sector.

History of MedicineUsing your whiteboard, present the scenario in Resource 1 to the class and use a KWL Grid to facilitate discussion. In the ‘W’ section, responses should include:• Where did medicine begin and how has it developed?• What is cancer and how does it affect health? • What are nutraceuticals?• Why could cancer be treated using nutraceuticals?

Explain to your pupils that today’s medicine has evolved over thousands of years as each generation builds on previous knowledge. This process will continue as we gain greater understanding of the human body, leading to unimagined advances in medicine.

Divide the class into nine groups and allocate group roles. Give each group a time period card (Resource 2) and invite them to research the history of treating disease. Ask each group to produce a short digital presentation with a maximum of four slides. Agree success criteria for the presentation, including:• provides information required on the card;• researches, selects and edits information from a

range of digital sources; and• combines text and still or moving images.

Encourage pupils to carry out self and peer assessment using the agreed success criteria.

NOTE: Although pupils should select their own choice of websites, you may wish to provide some examples, see ‘Useful Websites’ section available in the online version of this resource at www.nicurriculum.org.uk/stem

Activity 2

Causes and RisksDivide the class into groups of three or four pupils. Give each group a set of cards from Resource 3. Challenge each group to consider how they would categorise the information on the cards. Give time for each group to feed back their decisions and ensure they are able to justify their reasons.

NOTE: Explain to the class that there is no right answer for this activity. If they have justified why they chose the categories then they are correct.

Ask the groups to rearrange the cards into two categories: ‘causes of death’ and ‘risk factors’.

Explain that a risk is the ‘probability of an unwanted event or outcome happening, usually something that potentially causes harm, such as the chance of contracting lung cancer if you smoke’.

Explain that a risk factor describes the circumstances that are associated with a higher likelihood of developing a disease. Risk factors are not necessarily the cause of that disease. A risk factor is proven when the scientific evidence is strong enough to show a link to the disease.

Give pupils the correct answers for the two categories (Resource 4):

Causes of death:• non-transport accidents, falls, choking and poisoning;• murder;• medical complications after operations;• heart and circulatory diseases;• nervous system diseases mainly Alzheimer’s and

Parkinson’s disease;• digestive diseases mainly intestine and liver disease;• respiratory (lung) diseases; • infectious diseases mainly due to bacteria;• diabetes;• musculoskeletal disorders, for example osteoporosis,

arthritis;• kidney disorders;• suicide;• transport accidents;• mental health disorders mainly due to drug abuse;• pregnancy and birth complications; and• cancers.


Risk Factors:• obesity;• diet low in fruit and vegetables;• pathogens (bacteria and viruses);• lack of exercise;• smoking;• high blood pressure;• high cholesterol; and• alcohol.

Next invite pupils to consider the most common causes of death and the risk factors associated with them. Ask them to decide which is the most common cause of death. Then ask them to organise the cards from most common to least common cause of death. Give the pupils the correct ranking order (Resource 5). Invite pupils to decide which causes of death are associated with each risk factor. Explain to them that lifestyle choices, including diet, have a huge effect on our health, for example high blood pressure can be caused by too much salt in our diet and high cholesterol results from eating too many saturated (bad) fats.

As a class, discuss:• what the pupils got correct;• what surprised them; and• what questions they have as a result of this activity.

Possible Extension ActivityAllow pupils to use the NHS Atlas of Risk to help put health risks and death rates into perspective. They can use it to compare the cause of death and risks to health based on sex, age and region so they can make more informed lifestyle choices.

Invite pupils to use ICT to produce a leaflet to warn teenagers about the top three killers and tell them how to reduce their risk of dying from them.

Activity 3

Biggest KillersExplain to the class that health experts now believe that cancer will become the world’s biggest killer in the future. Show them media reports on this issue, see Useful Websites page.

Discuss possible reasons why more people worldwide will die of cancer than of heart disease. Responses should include:• increased public awareness of heart disease and its

causes lowers the incidence of heart disease;

• more people smoking increases the incidence of cancer;

• more people going abroad on holidays or using sun beds (more exposure to UV radiation); and

• people are living longer (the older people are the more likely they are to develop cancer).

Ask pupils to research information about cancer and create a leaflet on cancer prevention for teenagers. They should consider the following questions:• What is cancer?• What is the difference between a benign and a

malignant tumour?• What causes cancer? and• How do doctors treat cancer?

Activity 4

Patterns and TrendsPresent pupils with the Northern Ireland statistics on cancer (Resource 6).

Ask pupils to identify and describe any patterns or trends shown in the graphs. Invite them to interpret the results by explaining what the statistics show about cancer in Northern Ireland.

NOTE: Resource 7 provides a teacher briefing relating to possible responses from pupils.

Encourage pupils to look critically at the data to decide how strongly it shows a trend. Invite them to discuss how reliable the data is particularly in relation to sample size and the other factors that might affect the results.

Pupils’ responses should include the fact that the data is from a large sample and scientists produced the statistics, so we should assume that it is reliable.

Describe and evaluate the limitations of the evidence such as:• There are no statistics after 2004 or before 1993; and• There is no data on previous medical history or

lifestyle, for example: - did the patient smoke? or - did the patient use sunbeds?

You can find further background information for teachers about survival rates in Resource 8.


Activity 5

NutraceuticalsRecall with your pupils how the death rate from cancer is falling. Discuss possible reasons for this, such as:improved methods of cancer screening and detection;• changing lifestyles;• healthier diets; • environmental changes; or• more scientific research into cancer and new drug

development.

Remind pupils of the scenario. Present the information in Resource 9 about turmeric and its use in cancer treatment. This resource also lists the equipment your pupils will need to investigate the effect of nutraceuticals on cancer.

Nutraceuticals are foods or food products that claim to provide health and medical benefits including prevention and treatment of disease.

Explain to the pupils that research into nutraceuticals and the development of functional foods has potential to become an area of economic importance in Northern Ireland in the future. Discuss how they could become employees or employers in this field and they need to develop their scientific skills for these jobs.

Functional foods are processed foods or foods fortified with additives, such as vitamins, which claim to have health-promoting or disease-preventing properties beyond the basic function of supplying nutrients.

Explain to pupils that they are going to investigate the effect of nutraceuticals on cancer. They will use the growth of yeast as a model of cell growth and they will compare how different nutraceuticals affect it (Resource 10). You must carry out your own risk assessment.

Allow your pupils to plan and carry out the investigation. Ask them to list all the variables related to the growth rate of yeast, that is:• type and amount of yeast used; • amount of sugar used;• volume of water; • temperature;• oxygen; and • time to grow.

Explain to your pupils that the independent variable will be the herbs or spices used. Examples might include:

5g turmeric5g chilli powder or5g ginger

Explain to your pupils that the dependent variable will be the growth of yeast cells. Agree how they could measure the rate of growth, for example:• by measuring the volume of carbon dioxide

produced over time; or

Recap with your pupils how and why we carry out fair tests in science. To ensure that the experiment is reliable consider together how best to ensure that only the independent variable changes. Ask your pupils to plan a fair test and draw up their own table of results.

Discuss with your pupils why scientists need reliable results. Relate this to the fact that the pharmaceutical company would not want to spend time and money developing a drug or treatment that does not work.

Ask your pupils to explain how they will get reliable results. Responses should include: • repeat the experiment; or • collate the class results (if the investigation is the

same).

Invite pupils to take on the role of scientists in a pharmaceutical company to carry out their investigation.

Discuss how they should present their results graphically and get them to draw an appropriate graph.

Pupils should then analyse their results and draw a conclusion. They should provide advice to the pharmaceutical company based on their conclusions.

NOTE: The main purpose of scientific investigation is to allow pupils to experience the scientific method of enquiry. The benefits are the skills development, not necessarily the outcomes of the investigation itself. If this investigation, as with any investigation, does not prove what the pupils wanted it to prove then use this as a learning opportunity to consider why it may not have worked as they expected and what they could do differently to ensure their findings are accurate and reliable. Resource 11 has been provided as secondary data of the same/similar investigation. Provide time for pupils to analyse the data and consider the following questions:


1. Did the nutraceuticals affect the volume of Co2 produced by yeast?

Responses should suggest:• Yes, both nutraceuticals appear to be reducing the

volume of Co2 produced by yeast.

2. Can you suggest a reason for any change in volume of Co2 ?

Responses should suggest:• Yes, because volume of Co2 has been reduced when

nutraceutical is added so spice is possibly killing some of the yeast cells.

3. If so, which nutraceutical inhibited cell growth the most?

Responses should suggest:• Turmeric because it appears to have reduced the

volume of Co2 the most

4. If you were to provide further research suggestions to the pharmaceutical company based on your findings, what would those suggestions be?

Responses may suggest:• Do yeast cells behave/react in the same way as

human cells?

Activity 6

Functional FoodsExplain to your pupils that about 2,500 years ago Hippocrates said:

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

Discuss what your pupils think he meant by this. Prompt them if necessary to explain what a functional food is. Let them choose specific foods that provide additional benefits beyond their basic nutritional value by:• acting as an antioxidant;• boosting the immune system;• aiding digestion; or • having anti-cancer properties.

Explain to your pupils that the growing interest in new functional foods, with special health properties, has led to the development of ready-to-drink beverages based on different fruit juices and the nutraceutical vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Present them with information about vitamin C as a cancer treatment (Resource 12).

Explain to the class that they will test, analyse and evaluate some fruit drinks to compare their concentrations of vitamin C and so their antioxidant capacity.

Show your pupils the ingredients list on the label of each fruit drink they are going to test. Do not allow them to see the nutritional information. Explain to them that different fruits contain different amounts of vitamin C. Tell them that the product ingredients are listed in descending order with the largest proportion first.

Note that some of the drinks may have added ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Ask your pupils to predict which drink will have the highest vitamin C content and to justify their reasons based on the ingredients used.

Demonstrate to your pupils how to carry out the scientific test (see Resource 13 for method). Then, allow them to conduct the experiment themselves. Encourage them to design their own table of results.Discuss with your pupils the reliability of their results and any potential sources of errors, for example: • The size of drop may not be constant so different

volumes of liquid could be added each time.

Discuss with your pupils whether their predictions were correct. Show them the nutritional information from each of the fruit drinks they tested. Compare the amounts of vitamin C that each of the fruit drinks is supposed to contain. Compare these values to the pupils’ results. Refer to Resource 13 for a teacher briefing sheet for this experiment.

Extend the experiment by allowing the pupils to test the amount of vitamin C in different fruit and then design their own functional food (fruit juice mixture) based on the fruit that has the highest vitamin C content. They could then make this fruit juice and sell it in school as a healthy drink. Possible Extension Activity IdeasDiscuss with your pupils the ethical and moral implications that they must consider when developing any new drug or treatment.

Tell them about the German scientist Harald zur Hausen who discovered the human papilloma virus that causes cervical cancer. Because of his discovery


girls are now offered a vaccine to protect them against this disease. In 2008 he won the Nobel prize for medicine for his work.

Possible questions for discussion with the pupils:• If Jade Goody had been given this vaccine might she

still be alive today? • Why would people refuse the vaccine?• How would you feel if you had the vaccination and

still developed cervical cancer? or• How would it feel to be involved in scientific research

that had this impact on society?

You can access a number of activities relating to the moral and ethical issues about cancer on the Science UPD8 website. These activities are based on science in the news and popular culture. The most appropriate activities relating to this unit are:• Double Blind;• Mobiles for Kids? • Deodorants and breast cancer;• Obesity and cancer; and • Homeopathy.

Weblinks are available in the ‘Useful Websites’ section available in the online version of this resource at www.nicurriculum.org.uk/stem

Afterwards, have each group present their scientific investigations and findings, preferably to a real and relevant audience. You could request a link with a relevant STEM ambassador through the STEMNET initiative which is co-ordinated by W5. STEM ambassadors can act as role models and help to inspire and engage young people about the value of STEM in their daily lives. For further information, please contact Mary Carson at W5 ([email protected]) or visit their website at www.w5online.co.uk/stemnet.

The pupils could make their pitch to their STEM Ambassador via video conferencing using the Elluminate software available through C2K. For advice and support to get started please contact the C2K Service Desk.

You may want to watch an episode of Dragon’s Den as a class to provide them with an example of how to conduct a pitch, or, if possible, work in collaboration with the English Department to develop pupils’ presentation pitches.

Provide time for pupils to research STEM career opportunities, including in Health and Life Sciences. Resources are available within the sector profile which is available in the Sector Profiles section of the STEM Futures folder and Futures − Skills & Employability/CEIAG section of the STEMWorks website at: www.nicurriculum.org.uk/stem


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Resource 1


Resource 2

Time Period Cards – The History of Medicine

You must research the history of medicine in

8000 BCPrehistoric medicine

• name important individuals in that era;

• give a basic overview of medicine in those days; and

• include pictures on each slide.


2000 BCAncient Egyptian medicine





400 BC–300 ADGreeks and

Romans• name important individuals in

that era;• give a basic overview of

medicine in those days; and• include pictures on each slide.


500–1400Middle Ages





70–1500Arabic

medicines• name important individuals in




1400–1700The

Renaissance• name important individuals in




1700–190018th and 19th

centuries• name important individuals in




1900–200020th Century





2000–201121st Century

medicine• name important individuals in




Resource 3

Categorise the Cards

Transport accidentsHigh

cholesterolRespiratory (lung)

diseasesDiet low in

fruit and vegetables

Lack of exerciseHeart and

Circulatory diseasesDiabetes

Pregnancy and birth complications

ObesityMedical

complications after operations

AlcoholInfectious

diseases mostly due to bacteria

Nervous systemdiseases

for example Alzheimer’s,

Parkinson’s disease

Smoking

Non-transportaccidents for

example falls, choking and

poisoning

Murder

Mental healthdisorders mainly

due to drug abuse

CancersDigestive diseases

mainly intestine andliver disease

Pathogens(bacteria and

viruses)

High blood pressure Kidney disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders, for

example, osteoporosis, and

arthritis

Suicide


Resource 4 (1 of 2)

Causes of Death and Risk Factors (Teacher’s Briefing Sheet)

Cause of death (2007) Percentage of deaths

Heart and circulatory diseases 33.7

Cancers 23.4

Respiratory (lung) diseases 13.7

Nervous system diseases mainly Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease

5.5

Digestive diseases mainly intestine and liver disease 4.6

Kidney disorders 2.4

Infectious diseases mainly due to bacteria 1.6

Non-transport accidents falls, choking and poisoning 1.6

Diabetes 1.1

Musculoskeletal disorders, for example osteoporosis, arthritis

0.87

Suicide 0.66

Transport accidents 0.57

Mental health disorders mainly due to drug abuse 0.32

Murder 0.21

Medical complications after operations 0.08

Pregnancy and birth complications 0.08


Resource 4 (2 of 2)

Causes of Death and Risk Factors (Teacher’s Briefing Sheet)

Risk factors Linked to percentage of deaths

Main causes of death attributable to the risk

High blood pressure 16.2 heart and circulatory diseases

Smoking 15.5 lung cancer and respiratory (lung) diseases

High cholesterol 13.5 heart and circulatory diseases

Obesity 10.1 heart and circulatory diseases, diabetes complications

Diet low in fruit and vegetables

7.1 heart and circulatory diseases, cancer

Lack of exercise 5.4 heart and circulatory diseases, cancer

Alcohol 2.5 cancer, liver damage, heart and circulatory diseases

Pathogens (bacteria and viruses)

2.0 infectious diseases, for example c. difficile, septicaemia, tuberculosis


Resource 5

Additional Information for TeachersThis is the most up to date (2008) data on the major causes of death. You could explain to your pupils that the top three killers remain the same as previous years. Mental and behavioural disorders (due to illicit drug use) has become the fifth most common cause of death in the UK, whereas it was in thirteenth place in 2007.

Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.1.0.

Major causes of death Numbers of people

Cause of death MALE FEMALE 2008 TOTAL

Rate per 100 000

population 2008

2007 TOTAL

Rate per 100 000

population 2007

All causes, all ages 243014 266076 509090 935.14 504052 932.19Circulatory diseases 80846 87392 168238 309.04 170338 315.02Cancers 73705 67438 141143 259.26 140080 259.06Respiratory diseases 32801 38950 71751 131.80 68974 127.56Digestive diseases 12305 13692 25997 47.75 25670 47.47Mental and behavioural disorders 5965 12473 18438 33.87 16582 30.67Death not caused by disease 11023 7025 18048 33.15 17420 32.22Diseases of the nervous system 8127 9394 17521 32.18 16355 30.25Genitourinary disease 4823 7063 11886 21.83 11301 20.90Other causes 2749 8400 11149 20.48 11030 20.40Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases 3425 4001 7426 13.64 7214 13.34Infectious and parasitic diseases 2919 3580 6499 11.94 8169 15.11Musculoskeletal system 1354 3044 4398 8.08 4304 7.96Skin diseases 571 1324 1895 3.48 1822 3.37Congenital diseases and chromosomal abnormalities

555 584 1139 2.09 1235 2.28

Blood diseases and immune systems 400 552 952 1.75 1029 1.90Babies dying before or after birth 124 110 234 0.43 180 0.33Pregnancy and childbirth 0 44 44 0.08 47 0.09Diseases of the ear and mastoid process 11 13 24 0.04 13 0.02Diseases of the eye and adnexa 2 7 9 0.02 7 0.01Congenital diseases and chromosomal abnormalities

555 584 1139 2.09 1235 2.28

Blood diseases and immune systems 400 552 952 1.75 1029 1.90Babies dying before or after birth 124 110 234 0.43 180 0.33Pregnancy and childbirth 0 44 44 0.08 47 0.09Diseases of the ear and mastoid process 11 13 24 0.04 13 0.02Diseases of the eye and adnexa 2 7 9 0.02 7 0.01


Resource 6 (1 of 6)

Statistics of Cancer Patients in Northern Ireland: 1993–2004

GRAPH 1 Incidence Rates of Cancer © N. Ireland Cancer Registrywww.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/

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Resource 6 (2 of 6)


GRAPH 2 Mortality rates of cancer © N. Ireland Cancer Registrywww.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/

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Resource 6 (3 of 6)


GRAPH 3 Age specific incidence rates of cancer© N. Ireland Cancer Registrywww.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/

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Age specific incidence rates for all cancers (excluding NMSC): 1993-2004

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Resource 6 (4 of 6)


GRAPH 4 Cancer diagnosis by age and sex© N. Ireland Cancer Registrywww.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/

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Resource 6 (5 of 6)


GRAPH 5 Diagnosis and death rates© N. Ireland Cancer Registrywww.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/

Prostate 12.9%

Non-melanoma skin cancer

26.4%

Other 20.0%

Lung 12.8%

Colorectal 11.3%

Stomach 3.6%

Bladder 3.4%

NHL 2.9%

Kidney 2.4%

Oral 2.2%Oesophagus 2.1%

Colorectal 10.2%

Lung 7.6%

Ovary 4.0%

NHL 2.9%

Uterus 2.8%Melanoma 2.7%

Stomach 2.2%Cervix 1.8%Other 20.6%

Breast 20.8%

Colorectal 11.8%Prostate 11.2%

Stomach 5.8%

Oesophagus 4.9%

Pancreas 4.2%

NHL 3.3%

Bladder 3.0%

Leukaemia 2.8%

Kidney 2.5%

Other 23.9%

Lung 26.6%

Colorectal 11.9%

Ovary 6.0%

Pancreas 4.6%

Stomach 4.2%

NHL 3.3%

Oesophagus 3.2%

Leukaemia 2.3%

Liver 1.9%

Other 26.6%

Breast 17.3%

Lung 16.6%


24.3%

Male Female

Male Female


Five-year relative survival from all cancers excluding NMSC by age, sex and period of diagnosis: 1993-2000

Resource 6 (6 of 6)


(NMSC = non-melanoma skin cancer)

GRAPH 6 Cancer survival rates© N. Ireland Cancer Registrywww.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/

Rel

ativ

e Su

rviv

al (%

)

Sex and Age

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

14-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

1993-1996 1997-2000


GRAPH 1Explain to your pupils that the incidence rate is the number of people getting cancer each year. See Useful Websites page.

Why is the incidence of cancer shown per 100,000?It is easier for scientists to compare data between countries of different sizes.

Why is this data presented in a line graph?The data is continuous.

What are the trends shown in this graph?• Males have a higher incidence rate of cancer than

women from 1993 to 2007.• There have been slightly more people developing

cancer since 2005.

Discuss possible reasons for this such as better diagnoses available now, people becoming more aware of cancer symptoms and knowing how to check for tumours, more people being scanned or tested for cancer (breast screening, smear tests), more obesity or poorer lifestyle choices.

More males develop cancer as they are less likely to have a healthy lifestyle and diet. Men are less likely to visit the doctor. More men smoke compared to women and lung cancer is the top cancer killer in men (see pie chart).

Resource 7 (1 of 6)

Statistics of Cancer Patients in Northern Ireland: 1993-2004 (Teacher’s Briefing Sheet)

© N. Ireland Cancer Registrywww.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/

700.0

600.0

500.0

400.0

300.0

200.0

100.0

0.0

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Male

Female

Male and Female

Incidence rates for all cancers (C00-C97)

Inci

denc

e of

can

cer

per

100,

000

Year


GRAPH 2Explain to your pupils that the mortality rate means the number of people dying from cancer per year.

Another important point to alert the pupils to is that the people in the first graph who are diagnosed with cancer are not necessarily the people dying from the cancer in the second graph. For example 41 720 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK in 2002 and 12,838 women died from it that same year but you cannot assume that these are the same women. Almost all of the 12,838 who died would have been diagnosed some years before. See Useful Websites page.

What are the trends in this graph?• The number of people dying from cancer is

decreasing.

Discuss with the pupils the possible reasons for this trend, for example:

- more scientific research into cancer; - better knowledge of cancer and how it develops;

- better cancer treatments so more people are cured;

- more people are living longer after they are diagnosed due to improved treatment (This may not mean a cure, but it will make the mortality figures fall in the short term); and

- better screening and early detection programmes to pick cancers up at an earlier stage where treatment is more likely to achieve cure.

There are more men dying from cancer every year compared to women.

Discuss with the pupils the possible reasons for this trend, for example:• More males die from cancer because more men

develop cancer (link to previous graph); • men are less likely to go to the doctor for help so the

cancer is found at a much later stage and therefore more difficult to treat; and

• more males smoke and drink more alcohol than females, etc.

Resource 7 (2 of 6)



300

250

200

150

100

50

0

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

MaleFemale

Trends in cancer mortality rates

Year of Death

Mor

talit

y ra

te p

er 1

00,0

00 p

erso

ns


GRAPH 3Discuss with the pupils why scientists would want to compare the incidence rate of cancers in different age groups.

What are the trends in this graph?• the older the age group the higher the incident of

cancer;• between the age of 30 and 60 more females are

developing cancer than males; and• after the age of 60 many more males are developing

cancer.

Discuss with the pupils the possible reasons for these trends, for example older people have been exposed to carcinogens (cancer causing factors) for longer such as sun, radiation, smoke, alcohol, bad diet, pollution.

Their cells have been dividing for longer so there is more potential for mistakes to be made in their DNA. Mutations can lead to cell division becoming increasingly chaotic.

Resource 7 (3 of 6)

Age Specific Incidence Rates for all Cancers (Excluding NMSC): 1993–2004 (Teacher’s Briefing Sheet)


4,000

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

00-4 5-9 10- 15- 20- 25- 30- 35- 40- 45- 50- 55- 60- 65- 70- 75 80- 85+ 14 19 24 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79 84

Male

Female

Age Group

Age

Spec

ific

Inci

denc

e pe

r 10

0,00

0


GRAPH 4Why is this data displayed in a bar chart?The data is categoric.

What are the trends in this graph?• The majority of cancers are diagnosed in people over

the age of 50.• Testicular cancer, Hodgkin’s disease and cervical

cancer are diagnosed in people below the age of 50.

Discuss with the pupils the possible reasons for these trends, for example the biggest risk factor for developing cancer is age. The majority of cancers are more common in older people than in younger people. A few exceptions to this are testicular cancer, Hodgkin’s disease and cervical cancer. Explain that cancer of the sex organs are gender specific for obvious reasons but highlight that men can develop breast cancer although it is very rare (20 men diagnosed annually with breast cancer in Northern Ireland compared 3,095 cases per year in females).

Resource 7 (4 of 6)

Median Age at Diagnosis by Sex and Cancer Site: 1993-2004 (Teacher’s Briefing Sheet)


34

40

36

47

5658 50

5760

6266 64 65

67 67

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

69 69 68 68 68

75

6973

70

75

70 70 7072 71

7572

74 73

Med

ian

age

at d

iagn

osis

(yea

rs)

Test

is

Hod

gkin

’s d

isea

se

Cerv

ix

Bra

in

Mel

anom

a

Bre

ast

Ova

ry

Ute

rus

NH

L

Ora

l

Kid

ney

Leuk

emia

Oes

opha

gus

Live

r

Stom

ach

Lung

Colo

rect

al

Panc

reas

Bla

dder

Pros

tate

Male

Female

Med

ian

age

at d

iagn

osis

(yea

rs)


GRAPH 5Why is this data presented in a pie chart?The data is categoric and easier to visualise in a pie chart.

What are the trends in this graph?• The most common cancer diagnosed in both males

and females is non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) (26.4 percent of all male and 24.3 percent of all female cancers between 1993 and 2004).

• Excluding this cancer type the most commonly diagnosed male cancers, in descending order, were prostate, lung and colorectal, while in females they were breast, colorectal and lung.

• More males die from lung cancer than any other cancer (10 percent more deaths in males compared to females).

• Excluding the ‘other’ category, 26.6 percent more females die from breast cancer than any other cancer (17.3 percent).

Discuss with the pupils the possible reasons for these trends, for example non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common cancer because there is greater exposure to sun as a tan is perceived to be attractive, more people go on holidays to sunny areas and a greater use of sunbeds, especially by young people.

More males die from lung cancer as many more smoke and this is one of the main risk factors for lung cancer.

Resource 7 (5 of 6)



Cancers diagnosed:1993–2004

Cancers deaths:1993–2004

Prostate 12.9%


26.4%

Other 20.0%

Lung 12.8%

Colorectal 11.3%

Stomach 3.6%

Bladder 3.4%

NHL 2.9%

Kidney 2.4%

Oral 2.2%Oesophagus 2.1%

Colorectal 10.2%

Lung 7.6%

Ovary 4.0%

NHL 2.9%

Uterus 2.8%Melanoma 2.7%

Stomach 2.2%Cervix 1.8%Other 20.6%

Breast 20.8%

Colorectal 11.8%Prostate 11.2%

Stomach 5.8%

Oesophagus 4.9%

Pancreas 4.2%

NHL 3.3%

Bladder 3.0%

Leukaemia 2.8%

Kidney 2.5%

Other 23.9%

Lung 26.6%

Colorectal 11.9%

Ovary 6.0%

Pancreas 4.6%

Stomach 4.2%

NHL 3.3%

Oesophagus 3.2%

Leukaemia 2.3%

Liver 1.9%

Other 26.6%

Breast 17.3%

Lung 16.6%


24.3%


GRAPH 6What are the trends in this graph?• Females have a higher survival rate than males at

all ages.• Younger people have a higher survival rate than

older people.• The survival rate between 1997 and 2000 is higher

than the survival rate between 1993 and 1996.

Discuss with the pupils the possible reasons for these trends, for example females have a higher survival rate because they are more likely to go to the doctor so their cancer is detected at an earlier, more treatable, stage. The survival rate is better between 1997 and 2000 because there is more scientific research into cancer. With better knowledge of cancer, and how it develops, there are better cancer treatments.

Resource 7 (6 of 6)

Five-year Relative Survival from all Cancers Excluding NMSC by Age, Sex and Period of Diagnosis: 1993–2000 (Teacher’s Briefing Sheet)


Rel

ativ

e Su

rviv

al (%

)

Sex and Age

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

14-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+

1993-1996 1997-2000


Resource 8

Additional Background (Teacher’s Information Sheet)You can find further information about cancer survival rates in Survival of Cancer Patients in Northern Ireland: 1993–2004 Summary. You can access a copy of this document from the following link:www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/FileStore/PDF/Survival/Filetoupload,81424,en.pdf

You can find a more detailed study of cancer trends in Northern Ireland, which includes comparisons with the Republic of Ireland and other countries, in the most recent publication: Cancer in Ireland 1994–2004: a summary report


Resource 9

Background Information (Teacher’s Information Sheet)Turmeric, the dried yellow rhizome of Curcuma longa, is a common oriental spice. It gives most curries their yellow colour and is used in Indian and Thai cooking. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which is about two percent by weight of the root of the turmeric. The plant grows in tropical regions and Chinese medicine has used it for centuries. Curcumin appears to have a variety of ways of interfering with cancer. These anti-cancer benefits may make it very effective against many different types of cancer. One of its most exciting features is its antioxidant action. Antioxidants are able to scoop up free radicals that can cause cellular damage. Plant antioxidants may protect people from viruses, especially those suffering from HIV/AIDS who often get other ‘secondary’ infections.

Health and safetyYou must use good laboratory and aseptic techniques at all times. You must ensure your pupils wear the appropriate hand, body and face protection. You must ensure that your pupils clean up any spills and disinfect the area. All cultures and contaminated glassware must be disposed of appropriately.

Teachers must carry out their own risk assessments.

Equipment for the class

• yeast solution;• substances to test as nutraceuticals such as turmeric

(fresh or turmeric capsules), fresh ginger, garlic; • balance; • test-tubes and test-tube racks;• goggles;• pestle and mortar;• thermometer;• delivery tube; and• beaker

Method for making yeast solution for each group of pupils – set up by technician/teacher:

• 10g glucose;• 2g fast acting yeast; and• 100ml water.

If making yeast solution for groups of five pupils, based on 25 pupils in the class, increase the ingredients to:

• 50g glucose• 10g fast acting yeast; and • 500ml water

1. Put 10g glucose in a conical flask and add 500cm³ of warm water (max 50°C). Swirl the flask to dissolve the glucose.

2. Add 2g of fast acting yeast to the solution and loosely plug the top of the flask with cotton wool.

3. Leave in a water bath at 40°C for one hour to allow the yeast to activate and start cell division and fermenting.

NOTE: do not allow the temperature in the water bath to exceed 50°C as this will kill the yeast!


Resource 10 (1 of 2)

Investigation into the Effect of Nutraceuticals on Cell GrowthAim:to compare the effect of nutraceuticals on the cell growth of yeast

Equipment:• Yeast solution• 2 test-tubes • Beaker• Thermometer• Balance• Goggles

• Pestle and mortar• Test-tube rack• Nutraceutical, for example,

turmeric and chilli powder• Delivery tube• Measuring Cylinder• Stopwatch

Method:1. Collect the equipment.2. Decide on the type and amount of nutraceuticals to use. Prepare and measure out the nutraceuticals, for

example peel the fresh turmeric/ginger/garlic then chop up and grind using a pestle and mortar. If using dried spices weigh an exact amount, for example 5g.

3. Pour 20cm3 of yeast solution into a labelled test-tube. 4. Place the test-tube into a beaker of warm water at 45˚C. This is your water bath. Monitor the temperature

throughout the investigation using a thermometer. If the temperature falls below 45˚C add some more hot water to bring it back to 45˚C. Do not allow it to rise to over 50˚C as this could kill the yeast.

5. Add the 5g of the chosen nutraceutical to the yeast solution and mix well by gently swirling.6. Leave in the water bath at 45˚C for five minutes to allow the nutraceuticals to have an effect on cell growth.7. Place a delivery tube on the test tube. Fill another test tube with cold water and place the tube into the cold

water. Wait until the first bubble is produced and start the stopwatch. Count the number of bubbles produced in in five minutes. Record the results.

8. Repeat two more times to produce reliable results.9. Repeat steps 3-8 if investigating more than one nutraceutical.10. As a control repeat the experiment again, omitting the nutraceuticals.11. Calculate the average number of bubbles of CO2 produced per minute.

NOTE: You could get different groups of pupils to test different spices and collate all the results at the end.


Resource 10 (2 of 2) Investigation into the Effect of Nutraceuticals on Cell Growth (Results)

Results:

Nutraceuticals Number of bubbles of CO2 produced/min Average number of bubbles ofCO2 produced/5mins

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3

Control – none

Turmeric

Chilli powder

Garlic

Graph:What type of graph should you present your results on and why?

Interpretation of results:Did your nutraceuticals effect the cell growth in yeast? If so, which nutraceuticals inhibited cell growth the most?

Conclusion:What advice will you give the pharmaceutical company about which herbs or spices they should develop further as a nutraceutical ingredient that they can license to develop a functional food?



Investigation into the Effect of Nutraceuticals on Cell Growth (Secondary Data)

Experiment – counting the bubbles produced

Time/ Min Number of Bubbles10cm³ Yeast solution @ 40° C 20cm³Yeast solution @ 40° C0g Turmeric 0.5g Turmeric 2.0g Turmeric 0g Turmeric 0.1g Turmeric 5.0g Turmeric

1 1 2 1 4 4 22 1 2 1 4 3 13 1 1 0 3 3 14 1 1 1 3 3 15 1 1 1 3 3 0Total 5 7 4 17 16 5



Investigation into the Effect of Nutraceuticals on Cell Growth (Secondary Data)

Experiment using gas syringe to collect carbon dioxide using 40cm³ yeast solution @ 40°C

Time/ Min Volume of carbon dioxide /cm³0g Chilli powder 5g Chilli powder

1 1 22 2 43 3 44 4 55 5 66 5 67 6 78 6 89 7 910 7 911 8 1012 8 1113 9 1114 9 1215 9 1316 10 1317 10 1418 15 * 1419 18 1520 20 1525 22 1630 24 17

*added more water as temp has dropped below 40°C

ConclusionUse the counting bubbles method with 20cm ³ yeast solution @ 40°C and 5g Turmeric.


Resource 12

Vitamin C and CancerBackground InformationOne of the biggest threats to your body is oxygen. That sounds ridiculous but it is true. Oxygen molecules can lose an electron and form free radicals. These are atoms, molecules or compounds that contain one or more unpaired electrons. They are very unstable and reactive and can damage genes, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. We are constantly under attack from free radicals. They form normally in the body and can be neutralised by antioxidants. Certain forms of cancer can result in the formation of free radicals. Antioxidants help to mop up excess free radicals and so it is important to make sure that your diet contains antioxidants. In our diet there are various compounds that have antioxidant properties. These include vitamin C, carotenoids and vitamin E. Vitamin C is ascorbic acid.



Experiment – a Comparison of the Vitamin C Content of Functional Foods

Aim: to compare the vitamin C content of different functional foods (fruit beverages)

Health and Safety Warning Wear goggles and follow laboratory rules.

Prediction: predict which functional food contains the most vitamin C and justify your prediction

Equipment:• Test tubes and test tube rack• Iodine• Starch solution• Pipettes

Method:1. Collect the equipment.2. Place 1cm3 of starch solution into a test tube.3. Add one drop of iodine solution. 4. Add the ascorbic acid solution (pure vitamin C solution) one drop at a time to the starch/iodine solution. Shake

the test tube after each drop to mix the solutions.5. Count the number of drops required until the blue–black colour of the starch iodine complex disappears to

leave a colourless solution.6. Record your results in the table and repeat another

two times.7. Repeat steps 2–5 with the different fruit juices. Ensure you use a clean pipette for each test.8. Calculate the average number of drops needed to decolourise the starch/iodine solution.

Graph:What type of graph should you present your results on and why?

Interpretation of results:If the volume of fruit juice needed to decolourise DCPIP is greater than the volume of 0.1 percent ascorbic acid, does this mean that the juice contains more or less vitamin C than ascorbic acid solution?

Conclusion:Which functional food contained the most vitamin C? What advice will you give the pharmaceutical company about sources of vitamin C?



Experiment – a Comparison of the Vitamin C Content of Functional Foods

Results:Functional food Number of drops needed to decolourise

DCPIPAverage number of drops to

decolourise DCPIPTest 1 Test 2 Test 3

control – 0.1% ascorbic acidtropical fruit juicepomegranate and blueberry juice drinkcranberry and raspberry juice blackcurrant and apple juice



Experiment – a Comparison of the Vitamin C Content of Fruit Juices (Teacher’s Briefing Sheet)IntroductionIn this experiment, your pupils will compare the number of drops of different juices needed to decolourise starch/iodine solution. The more vitamin C there is in a juice, the less juice they need to decolourise the dye. They can compare the results with a known concentration of vitamin C (control).

Health and Safety Warning The chemicals used in this experiment are low hazard. You need to carry out your own risk assessment. Refer to Hazcards and CLEAPPS.

Equipment

For the class set up by technician/teacher: • 0.1 percent vitamin C solution (0.1g of vitamin C in 100 cm3);• Iodine solution (0.5 g iodine dissolved in 100 ml of 1 percent potassium iodide solution (approx 0.02 moles

dm–3 Iodine in 0.06 moles dm–3 KI));• 0.1 percent starch solution (1 g soluble starch in 1000 ml water) allow 10–15 cm3 per group; and• different fruit juice/fruit juice drink samples allow 25 cm3 per group.

NOTE: You could use 1 percent solution of DCPIP (dichlorophenol-indophenol) however in acidic conditions DCPIP does not decolourise completely it remains red. With strongly acidic juices, such as lemon juice, this could confuse the determination of the end point. If using DCPIP the method would be:

1. Collect the equipment.2. Place 1 cm3 DCPIP solution into a test tube.3. Add ascorbic acid solution (pure vitamin C solution) one drop at a time to the DCPIP and shake the test tube

after each drop to mix the solutions.4. Count the number of drops required until the blue dye just changes to a colourless liquid. You might observe

that the DCPIP changes from blue to red. This is due to the acid in the fruit juice. Coloured fruit juices will not give a colourless solution. The end point is when the blue (or red) colour disappears.

5. Record your results in the table.6. Repeat steps 2–5 with the different fruit juices. Ensure you use a clean pipette for each test.

Discussion pointsExplain to the pupils that some beverages have sulphur dioxide or sodium sulphite added as a preservative. Sodium sulphite is a reducing agent and so decolourises DCPIP. Will this affect the reliability of your results with DCPIP? Since chemicals other than vitamin C will affect DCPIP, the test is unsatisfactory unless we can assume that reducing agents other than ascorbic acid are unlikely to be present. If sulphur dioxide or sodium sulphite is present, presumably we will need less of the juice to decolourise the DCPIP. Whether this will make the results substantially unreliable will depend on the relative concentrations of sulphite and ascorbic acid in the juice.

You may add ascorbic acid artificially to increase vitamin C concentration.


Useful WebsitesThese links were active at the time of publishing. CCEA accepts no responsibility or liability for any material supplied by or contained in any of the linked websites and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over availability of the linked pages.

A History of Treating Disease website provides suggestions for Activity 2:resources.schoolscience.co.uk/abpi/history/index.html www.knowitall.org/kidswork/hospital/history/index.html www.historylearningsite.co.uk/history_of_medicine.htm

Websites which pupils will find useful to research information about cancer for their fact cards in Activity 4:www.abpischools.org.uk/res/coResourceImport/resources04/cancer/index.cfm www.cancerni.net/informationsupport/generalinformationaboutcancerwww.cancerhelp.org.uk/about-cancer/index.htm www.cancertalk.org.uk/cancer-facts/index.html news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3243569.stm

Media Report 1 Curry spice kills cancer cellshttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8328377.stm

Media report 2 Vitamin C slows cancer growthhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7540822.stm

Videos for teachers from teachers’ TVScience teacher, Lucy Hutt, gives an extended lesson on DNA and proteins, as well as cancer and its underlying causes before her pupils view Cancer and the Genome. www.teachers.tv/videos/ks3-ks4-science-cancer-and-the-genome-the-lesson

The History of MedicineMedicine revision guide link. This provides information on important individuals in the development of medicine and a basic overview of how health care and medicine progressed. www.historygcse.org

STEM Career Role ModelsLeo Garcia: Medical Physicist shows students how he uses ultrasound to detect cancer tumours. www.teachers.tv/videos/leo-garcia-medical-physicist

Cancer and the GenomeA video about melanoma – the third biggest cancer in the age group 15–39 years. Illustrates what cancer is and why it happens in terms of cell behaviour.www.teachers.tv/videos/ks3-ks4-science-cancer-and-the-genome-the-issue

The following link is a classroom lesson that describes environmental and hereditary factors that increase the chance of developing cancer.www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?BenchmarkID=5&DocID=86

This is a useful site for researching independent variables for the investigation in Activity 6.www.cancure.org/cancer_fighting_foods.htm


Useful Websites (continued)This site investigates the role of vitamin C in the fight against cancer.scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2008/08/13/vitamin-c-jab-to-beat-cancer/

You can find further information on Harald zur Hausen at: nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2008/hausen.html

Moral and Ethical Issues: Science UPD8 Classroom Activities:Double Blind: investigates placebos in the use of clinical trials and the ethics of trying new treatments out on human volunteers. www.upd8.org.uk/activity/170/Double-Blind.html

Mobiles for kids?: examines mobile phone health risks and considers whether young people should own them. www.upd8.org.uk/activity/81/Mobiles-for-kids.html

Deodorants and breast cancer: investigates scientific research that discovered a chemical found in deodorant is also present in the tissues of women with breast cancer. www.upd8.org.uk/activity/48/Deodorants-breast-cancer.html

Obesity and cancer: explores the links between obesity, diet, exercise and cancer. www.upd8.org.uk/activity/93/Obesity-and-cancer.html

Homeopathy: examines whether homeopathy should be available to all patients.www.upd8.org.uk/activity/255/Homeopathy-is-it-Science.html

Cancer Research UK websiteGo to www.cancerresearchuk.org/ and click on the news and resources tab. Then go to the teachers’ resources tab for lesson plans to explore cancer, health and how science works.

Cancertalk websiteThe Cancertalk website is Macmillan’s resource guide for teachers and youth group leaders. There is a free Cancertalk teaching pack for Key Stage 3.www.cancertalk.org.uk/index.html

ABPI Resources for Schools website: Cell Division and CancerCell division – this interactive web resource focuses on how cells divide and what can happen when cell division takes place in an uncontrolled manner.

There are seven units and a quiz in this electronic resource (e-source): • Cells, the body and growth • Cell division: mitosis and meiosis • Chromosomes and genes • When cell division goes wrong • What causes cancer? • Treatments for cancer • Radiation: cause and cure • Quiz

www.abpischools.org.uk/page/modules/cancer/index.cfm?age=Age%20Range%2011-14&subject=Science


Useful Websites (continued)At work with science – Medicine Box ChallengeThe Medicine Box Challenge is designed to help pupils learn about medicines, their effects and how they are administered. It includes an additional task on excipients. www.atworkwithscience.com/Page/MedBox/Default.aspx.html

National Institute of Health and National Cancer Institute: Cell Biology and CancerThis American website has developed guidance for teachers and interactive activities for pupils. It introduces the concepts related to the development and impact of cancer. It also conveys the relationship between basic biomedical research and the improvement of personal and public health. http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih1/cancer/guide/guide_toc.htm Cancer: The facts (UK data 2005)http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3444635.stm

cancer: control and combat · activity 5: nutraceuticals 6.7 activity 6: functional foods 6.8...

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