Understanding Cancer With Dr. Fox: An Activity Book

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1 Understanding Cancer With Dr. Fox: An Activity Book By The 8 th Grade Students of The Riverside School

2 Hello kids! My name is Dr. Fox. The students in The Riverside School's 8th grade and I are going to help you understand cancer. The 8th graders decided in World Issues class, taught by Nelia Dwyer, that their yearly project would be to raise awareness for cancer. Cancer is a growing problem that has affected our school community. We dedicate this book to our friends and family who have struggled to fight cancer. Please feel free to copy and share this book! Written in May of 2013 by: Anna Pomerville Christian Kapoukranidis Emily Greenstein Gabe Starling LaTina Webber Maggie Evans Molly Moore Rachael Savoie Tara Sethi Zane Buckminster

Cancer is a growing problem that has affected our school community. We dedicate this book to our friends and family who have struggled to fight cancer.

3 Cells Cells are the little tiny things that make up our bodies. Everything in our bodies is made up of cells. Cells are like people, they all have different jobs. Some cells make up your heart and help spread blood around, some make up your skin and help protect your body, others fight sickness. Occasionally cells get confused about their jobs and accidently hurt you. This is called cancer. Cells are made of up tiny parts that each have a specific job to do. Color in the parts of this cell using the letters.

Some cells make up your heart and help spread blood around, some make up your skin and help protect your body, others fight

4 What is cancer? Cancer is a disease. It can make people very sick, and cancer can kill people, but it doesn t always. People can t catch cancer, like a cold or flu; it is not contagious. Cancer is what happens when cells grow in an abnormal or harmful way. They move and grow and become a tumor, a mass of cells that someone s body doesn t really need. If a tumor stays in one place and doesn t bother anything, we call it benign. If it spreads and invades other cells, we call it malignant, and that is cancer. There are doctors that help people with cancer and they are called oncologists. Doctor Fox, pictured here, is an oncologist. Oncologists are not exactly sure how to get rid of cancer, but they are always learning about it and trying to find a solution. One of these tumors is benign, and one is malignant. Color and label them.

If a tumor stays in one place and doesn t bother anything, we call it benign. If it spreads and invades other cells, we call it malignant, and that is cancer.

5 Behaviors There are many things that can cause some people to get cancer. It might be the way they act or the choices they make. If they have bad diet, are extremely overweight, smoke, or often get sunburns, they may have a higher chance of getting cancer. For breakfast should Dr. Fox eat an apple, or some ice cream? Should Dr. Fox smoke cigarettes? Help me make good decisions to stay healthy and avoid cancer. Circle what you think is the better choice. Should Dr. Fox get a check up every year from his doctor? Should Dr. Fox put sunscreen on before going outside or not?

For breakfast should Dr. Fox eat an apple, or some ice cream? Should Dr. Fox smoke cigarettes?

6 Conditions Cancer is caused by many things that we may or may not be able to control. The circumstances that we can't control are the DNA and the environment around us. The DNA can passed down from parents and can send the wrong message to the cell about how to grow, thus it might cause cancer. The environment might cause cancer because of the pollution that is happening to it. Elements in our environment that might cause cancer are called carcinogens. Color in Color the DNA. image from: N/netalloy_DNA_black_white_line_art_tattoo_ta h l

The DNA can passed down from parents and can send the wrong message to the cell about how to grow, thus it might cause cancer.

7 The following pages describe three common types of cancer. Brain Cancer Brain cancer is an abnormal growth of brain tissue in the brain. A brain tumor takes up space in the skull, which causes your brain to change. The brain tumor can cause memory loss, difficulty speaking, vision changes and sickness. Sometimes the brain tumor can also cause personality change and weakness. Scientists do not know how to prevent brain cancer or what causes it. B B A Y Q P Z O K M W J A V H Z T D C R S D K I F M G Q W V G Q G A E S R F K Q G I J J Y F I K S G B Q Z E P L V H P M P K G S R F C L R K K N E P C X I C O N F U S I O N N Y B F W E M Q M P I K O Y V W Y K U I T Z L I D V B I J E V R Z P Z I W Q C L S S G F Z N I X P V H C L R A S G W U X X M F X Z I R A K X T M D L Z U M E M K T V R S Q G O Z M Y E H O C R Z Z P H L D W A A N E E J Z V S U T X Z X X A B S R L S T E C X J N E S Q W C N Y B L G C E S T T Y H E Y K V M O I J S P N T K T L E P X W K P Z S Z X S G F T T A Z L S V R W S Q M T G N T P Y B O Z P S O N G C F S N E O E C D V B R Y B U J J O Z E S S T G A O G T B H X S H S L F F V V D M C W A Q I O W E H H A V C E E O D Y Y X N V H Z A L K Q U M L O V Q V C C N H S F H K B L B X L Y V I A W O M Y O A C L M N C D L H L E U G W Z F L N Z A J U F R B N P T J A O V J S Y Y O X G L X G O W L T R Q O E Z D S D Z B I T U N C T T Y E S E W B D Z M F M B G V A I E N H S V A T O H D D K F I X F K Y P E W J E L I C J F F I N R C M X V V U S M R E E K M H H H C K J K C W N V V L U J A H H S M S X N L U Y Z M V Y Y A N A Y N W C H A C K N B Y D R Y N V O K W E T H F C E E Y W U P K P M E G N A H C Y T I L A N O S R E P S Y D C C C Y B Find the effects of brain cancer in the word search! CONFUSION DIFFICULTY SPEAKING HEADACHES MEMORY LOSS PERSONALITY CHANGE SEIZURES SICKNESS VISION CHANGE WEAKNESS

Sometimes the brain tumor can also cause personality change and weakness. Scientists do not know how to prevent brain cancer or what causes it.

8 Lung Cancer Lung cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor in the lungs. Lungs are the part of the body that help someone breathe. Lung cancer can be caused by harmful particles in the air. Connect the dots!

9 Skin Cancer Skin cancer is what it sounds like, a tumor on your skin. It might look like a mole or a beauty mark. The most dangerous type of skin cancer is melanoma because it attacks the melanocyte cells. The job of these cells is to determine the color of someone s skin. A way to prevent skin cancer is to put on sunscreen before going outside. Use the clues to test what you ve learned and complete the crossword puzzle!

The most dangerous type of skin cancer is melanoma because it attacks the melanocyte cells.

10 The following pages describe three common cancer treatments. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy, or chemo, is a treatment for cancer. The doctor flushes chemicals through the body to kill the cancer cells. It can also harm the healthy cells, but they are able to recover. Chemotherapy can be really difficult because it makes the patient feel tired and sick, even though it s helping them get better. Help Dr. Fox get the medicine through the maze to the cancer. Cancer

The doctor flushes chemicals through the body to kill the cancer cells.

11 Surgery Another way to treat cancer is with surgery. 60% of people with cancer are treated at some time with surgery. Surgery is when a doctor uses tools to remove the tumor from the body, repairs the body, and possibly use the tumor for further study to learn about cancers. Directions right 4 Down 2 Up 3 Right 5 Down 6 Right 2 You have found it! Start here Help me find the tumor by following the directions!

Surgery is when a doctor uses tools to remove the tumor from the body, repairs the body, and possibly

12 Radiation Radiation is another type of treatment. The patient has to lie very still while a strong beam of light is shot at the cancer cells. The light causes a chemical reaction, which damages the cell and slows down or stops its growth. Help guide the ray of light to hit the tumor.

13 Care and Help There are many side effects to cancer treatment. Patients can experience hair loss, sickness, tiredness, and other symptoms after treatment for cancer. If you know people who have cancer, there are many ways that you can help them, or put a smile on their faces. You can be quiet so they can rest, draw them a picture, write them a card, sing them a song, help them with chores, pick them flowers, or do almost anything to brighten up their days. Draw a picture or write a message that would make someone smile.

If you know people who have cancer, there are many ways that you can help them, or put a smile on their faces.

14 Glossary Cell l Chemotherapy Oncologist Radiation Surgery Tumor Benign Tumor Malignant Tumor The little things that make up all the different parts of a body. A way of treating cancer by flushing chemicals through the body. A doctor specializing in cancer treatment. A way of treating cancer by shooting special waves of light at the tumor. Removal of the tumor by cutting it out. An abnormal mass of cells. A non-harmful tumor that doesn t grow or spread. A tumor that is bad for the person because it spreads and invades other cells.

A way of treating cancer by shooting special waves of light at the tumor. Removal of the tumor by cutting it out.

15 Please copy and share this book! Other Resources Play Re-Mission 2, a cancer-fighting video game at: Raise money, awareness, and spirit with Relay for Life: Learn more from: The National Cancer Institute, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Cancer Compass Get treatment at Norris Cotton Cancer Center: 1080 Hospital Drive St. Johnsbury, VT (802) Download a new copy of this book at:

cancer.gov The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/cancer Cancer Compass www.cancercompass.

co-sponsored by the Health & Physical Education Department, the Health Services Office, and the Student Development Center

co-sponsored by the Health & Physical Education Department, the Health Services Office, and the Student Development Center Cancer is a group of more than 100 related diseases. Normally, cells grow and divide to produce more cells to keep the body healthy. Sometimes, this process goes wrong. New cells form when the body doesn