Henrietta Lacks
Parts and Functions
Cancer Behavior
Advancements
Ethical Scenarios
100
What cancer was Henrietta Lacks diagnosed with?
Cervical cancer (adenocarcinoma)
100
Which cellular structure's damage typically leads to cancer growth?
DNA
100
Do cancer cells duplicate rapidly or slowly?
Rapidly
100
Are most forms of cancer treatable?
Well yes!
100
Were hospitals always open to treating African American patients during the Jim Crow era?
No. Many patients were lucky if their local hospital even had segregated wings.
200
Why did Lacks's doctors take her cells?
To create the first immortal human cell lines.
200
Do cancer cells multiply through mitosis or meiosis?
Mitosis
200
What factors of life have the ability to cause cancer?
Genetics, mutations, environment, damage, age, infections, and lifestyle choices.
200
What is the most common form of cancer treatment?
Chemotherapy/radiation
200
How many pages did Lacks have to read and sign off on before going to surgery?
Less than one
300
What year did Lacks pass?
1951
300
What process fails during the cell cycle that leads to unregulated cell growth?
Checkpoints amidst the cell cycle.
300
What types of cancer are there?(Hint: Dangerous/"safe")
Malignant and benign
300
What are HeLa cells most commonly used to engineer?
Vaccines
300
What chemical compound was used on cancer patients for treatment?
Radium
400
What did the researcher of Lacks's cells refer to himself as?
A "vulture of cells".
400
What is the difference between telomeres and telomerase?
Telomeres: Physical caps on the chromosomes that protect genetic information.
Telomerase: The protein that makes up telomeres.
400
What parts of a cell differ if it's cancerous?
Size, shape, nucleus, color, and growth pattern (Disorganized clusters).
400
During the time of Henrietta Lacks, what advancement was made in gynecology?
The pap smear
400
What medical procedure would doctors at Johns Hopkins preform on women suspected of having cervical cancer?
They would remove almost their entire reproductive system, not stopping at a hysterectomy.
500
What could have caused Lacks's cancer?
Her husband's infidelity. He transferred HPV to Henrietta, prompting her cells to mutate.
500
what are telomeres made up of?
DNA
500
What is different between the normal cell and Lacks's cancer cells?
A normal cell's telomeres degrade over time, while Lacks's remain steadfast on their chromosomes.
500
What makes HeLa cells optimal for experimentation and bioengineering?
They're susceptible to mutations and third party forces while maintaining their life-span.
500
How does the HeLa Genome Committee determine who has access to the cell line?
An application process must be followed alongside NIH researchers to ensure that the use of the cells is ethical and for the greater-good.