Colorectal cancer

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/colorectal-cancer

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the common histological type?Adenocarcinoma
2. What is the key genetic pathways?Involves mutations in APC, KRAS, TP53, and MSI pathways
3. What is colorectal cancer and how does it start?Colorectal cancer is a disease that begins in the cells lining the colon and rectum. It usually starts when small growths called polyps form and grow too much.
4. Why do some people get colorectal cancer?It happens when genes that control cell growth get turned on or off in the wrong way, and also because of habits like eating too much red meat, not moving enough, or smoking.

Oncogenes: Genes that, when mutated or expressed at high levels, can contribute to cancer development.
Tumor Suppressor Genes: Genes that inhibit cell proliferation and are inactivated in cancer.
Microsatellite Instability (MSI): A condition where DNA repair mechanisms are faulty, leading to a high mutation rate in repetitive DNA sequences.