Biology Summative Assessment Outline

SNC2D8-6A (Period 2 class) due Apr 14, 2022

SNC2D1-8C (Period 3/4 class) due Apr 13, 2022

To help you prepare for your final Biology project, answer the following questions:

1. What health issue topic did you select?

Leukemia

2. Using point form and links as your citations, answer the following questions:
a. What tissues, organs or systems does your disease relate to?
The body's blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system are related to
leukemia.

b. How do the affected organs of a healthy person function compared to a person with the disease?
Leukemia disrupts the production of healthy white blood cells that are designed to multiply, fight
infections and die off. In a person with leukemia, these cells reproduce abnormally and collect in the
bloodstream, eventually crowding out healthy cells and causing symptoms.

c. What are the symptoms of your disease?

Leukemia’s common symptoms are weakness and fatigue, a sensation of pain deep within the bones,
easy bruising, fever and frequent infections, a swollen belly or abdominal discomfort, swollen lymph
nodes around the neck, underarms or groin area… etc.

d. What medical technology is used to diagnose the disease?

To diagnose leukemia, there are some tests such as a physical exam, blood tests (complete blood count,
blood chemistry test), and a bone marrow test. Plus, MRI, ultrasound…etc.

e. What are the risks and benefits with medical technology in diagnosing the disease?
First, a blood test has very little risk to your health. However, there is always a slight risk of infection.
Some blood may pool under the skin, causing a bruise after the test. A blood test has multiple benefits
including early diagnosis of some conditions before symptoms develop and also It doesn't take long to
get results.
Second, for a bone marrow test, its risks may include bruising and discomfort at the biopsy site,
infection and prolonged bleeding. If blood tests are abnormal or don't provide enough information
about a suspected problem, a bone marrow exam to diagnose might be performed.

f. What types of treatment are available for your disease?

For the treatment of leukemia, drugs that inhibit the growth or proliferation of blood cancer cells are
used. There are some treatments for leukemia, such as targeted therapy, radiation therapy, bone
marrow transplant, immunotherapy… etc.

g. What are the risks and benefits to the treatment?

There are a lot of risks of targeted therapy such as diarrhea and liver problems, high blood pressure, the
loss of hair colour, nail changes, and skin problems. As some benefits, targeted therapy helps treat
cancer by interfering with specific proteins that help tumors grow and spread throughout the body.
Here are some risks of radiation therapy. Hair loss, tiredness, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Radiation
can be used to reduce pain in an area of bone invaded by leukemia. To treat leukemia that has spread to
the brain and spinal fluid, or to the testicles.

h. Are there some possible ways to prevent the disease? If so, what are they?
First, be a non-smoker. Not smoking is the best way to lower your risk of leukemia.
Second, maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight and obesity may increase your risk of
leukemia.

i. What are the risks and benefits of these prevention methods?

Being a non-smoker has a lot of benefits as everyone knows. It improves health status and enhances
quality of life. And it also reduces the risk for many adverse health effects.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important for health. In addition to lowering the risk of heart disease,
stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Also, it lowers the risk of cancers. However, maintaining your
ideal body weight is tough for most people.

3. What form of communication do you plan to use to communicate your findings?

Making infographics.

4. Do you have any questions for Ms. Szeto?

No.
 References

Mayo Clinic. (2021, January 13). Leukemia. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-

conditions/leukemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20374373

Mayo Clinic. (2021, January 13). Leukemia. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-

conditions/leukemia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374378

Moffitt Cancer Center. (n.d.). How Does LEukemia Affect the Body?.

https://moffitt.org/cancers/leukemia/faqs/how-does-leukemia-affect-the-body/

Familydoctor.org. (2020, September 8). Complete Blood Count (CBC).

https://familydoctor.org/complete-blood-count-cbc/

Pruitt, D. OSF HealthCare. (2021, March 18). Why and when you need blood work.

https://www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/why-and-when-you-need-blood-work/

Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Bone Marrow Biopsy.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/bone-marrow-
biopsy
Canadian Cancer Society. (n.d.). Reducing your risk for leukemia.
https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-types/leukemia/risks/reducing-your-risk

National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Targeted Therapy to Treat Cancer.

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/targeted-therapies

The American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Radiation Therapy for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

(ALL). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/acute-lymphocytic-leukemia/treating/radiation-

therapy.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Benefits of Quitting.

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/benefits/index.htm

Harvard T.H. CHAN. (n.d.). Healthy Weight.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/#:~:text=Maintaining%20a

%20healthy%20weight%20is,risk%20of%20many%20different%20cancers.