PLTW MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS FINAL PAPER 2025/2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔When is a punch biopsy done? - ✔✔It is done to find skin cancer.
✔✔How is a shave biopsy done? - ✔✔the doctors use a razor or scalpel to shave off a
thin layer of skin.
✔✔When is a bone marrow biopsy done? - ✔✔blood disorders and cancers.
✔✔Cancer vs normal cell difference - ✔✔
✔✔cancer vs normal - ✔✔
✔✔What is the definition of Carcinomas and where are they commonly found. - ✔✔A
cancer that originates in epithelial tissues.
Commonly found in skin organ lining, and glands
✔✔Definition of Sarcomas and where they are commonly found. - ✔✔Cancers that
originate in bone and soft tissues. Commonly found in arms, legs, torso, belly, head,
neck.
✔✔explain how a tumor/ cancer can affect / change its surrounding environment
including angiogenesis. - ✔✔Cancer reshapes its environment by suppressing immune
responses, breaking down surrounding tissues to invade, and inducing angiogenesis—
where it releases signals like VEGF to stimulate new, often abnormal, blood vessels
that supply oxygen and nutrients, helping the tumor grow and spread.
✔✔what's angiogenesis? - ✔✔Angiogenesis is the biological process through which
new blood vessels form from existing ones, playing a critical role in growth,
development, and healing.
✔✔How is a bone marrow biopsy done? - ✔✔A thin needle is inserted into bone marrow
and then analyzed.
✔✔When is a shave biopsy done? - ✔✔skin cancer or abnormalities.
✔✔explain how mutated tumor suppressor genes can contribute to the development of
cancer? - ✔✔Mutated tumor suppressor genes lose their ability to regulate the cell
cycle, repair DNA, or trigger apoptosis, which can result in uncontrolled cell growth and
the development of cancer.
, ✔✔describe the role of tumor suppressor genes. - ✔✔Tumor suppressor genes prevent
uncontrolled cell growth by regulating the cell cycle, repairing DNA, and promoting cell
death, and their loss of function can lead to cancer.
✔✔describe the role of p53 - ✔✔The p53 protein, often called the "guardian of the
genome," prevents cancer by detecting DNA damage, halting cell division for repairs, or
triggering apoptosis if the damage is irreparable.
✔✔explain how mutated proto-oncogenes can contribute to the development of cancer?
- ✔✔Mutated proto-oncogenes, called oncogenes, cause uncontrolled cell growth,
leading to cancer development.
✔✔How is an excisional biopsy done? - ✔✔Doctors remove the entire lump or
suspicious area.
✔✔what are genetic factors that can lead to cancer? - ✔✔inherited mutations and a
family history of cancer
✔✔explain the relationship between proto-oncogenes and oncogenes - ✔✔Proto-
oncogenes act like a "gas pedal" in the cell cycle, promoting cell growth and division
when needed—just as a car accelerates when you press the pedal. However, if proto-
oncogenes mutate into oncogenes, it's like a stuck gas pedal, causing the car (or cell) to
speed uncontrollably, leading to unregulated cell division and potentially cancer.
✔✔How to quantify Microarray results - ✔✔-Scientists convert the colors of microarray
results to numbers according to the intensity of red or green
-1. Calculate the ratio of red to green for each gene
-2. Convert the ratio to base 2 logarithm
✔✔what characteristic do all cancer cells share? - ✔✔they are unhealthy cells in which
the processes that regulate healthy cell division are damaged.
✔✔Interpreting Microarray Results- What do the colors mean? - ✔✔Green- the gene is
down-regulated in cancer tissue, higher gene expression in normal cells
Red- the gene is up-regulated in cancer tissue, higher gene expression in cancer cells
Yellow- gene is equally expressed in both cancer and healthy tissue
Black/No Color- gene is not expressed in either tissue
✔✔what is apoptosis? - ✔✔Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death that
occurs in multicellular organisms. It's a vital mechanism that helps maintain balance in
the body by eliminating old, damaged, or unnecessary cells
✔✔what is the role of proto-oncogenes? - ✔✔Proto-oncogenes regulate normal cell
growth and division, but when mutated, they can become oncogenes and lead to
uncontrolled cell proliferation, contributing to cancer development.
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔When is a punch biopsy done? - ✔✔It is done to find skin cancer.
✔✔How is a shave biopsy done? - ✔✔the doctors use a razor or scalpel to shave off a
thin layer of skin.
✔✔When is a bone marrow biopsy done? - ✔✔blood disorders and cancers.
✔✔Cancer vs normal cell difference - ✔✔
✔✔cancer vs normal - ✔✔
✔✔What is the definition of Carcinomas and where are they commonly found. - ✔✔A
cancer that originates in epithelial tissues.
Commonly found in skin organ lining, and glands
✔✔Definition of Sarcomas and where they are commonly found. - ✔✔Cancers that
originate in bone and soft tissues. Commonly found in arms, legs, torso, belly, head,
neck.
✔✔explain how a tumor/ cancer can affect / change its surrounding environment
including angiogenesis. - ✔✔Cancer reshapes its environment by suppressing immune
responses, breaking down surrounding tissues to invade, and inducing angiogenesis—
where it releases signals like VEGF to stimulate new, often abnormal, blood vessels
that supply oxygen and nutrients, helping the tumor grow and spread.
✔✔what's angiogenesis? - ✔✔Angiogenesis is the biological process through which
new blood vessels form from existing ones, playing a critical role in growth,
development, and healing.
✔✔How is a bone marrow biopsy done? - ✔✔A thin needle is inserted into bone marrow
and then analyzed.
✔✔When is a shave biopsy done? - ✔✔skin cancer or abnormalities.
✔✔explain how mutated tumor suppressor genes can contribute to the development of
cancer? - ✔✔Mutated tumor suppressor genes lose their ability to regulate the cell
cycle, repair DNA, or trigger apoptosis, which can result in uncontrolled cell growth and
the development of cancer.
, ✔✔describe the role of tumor suppressor genes. - ✔✔Tumor suppressor genes prevent
uncontrolled cell growth by regulating the cell cycle, repairing DNA, and promoting cell
death, and their loss of function can lead to cancer.
✔✔describe the role of p53 - ✔✔The p53 protein, often called the "guardian of the
genome," prevents cancer by detecting DNA damage, halting cell division for repairs, or
triggering apoptosis if the damage is irreparable.
✔✔explain how mutated proto-oncogenes can contribute to the development of cancer?
- ✔✔Mutated proto-oncogenes, called oncogenes, cause uncontrolled cell growth,
leading to cancer development.
✔✔How is an excisional biopsy done? - ✔✔Doctors remove the entire lump or
suspicious area.
✔✔what are genetic factors that can lead to cancer? - ✔✔inherited mutations and a
family history of cancer
✔✔explain the relationship between proto-oncogenes and oncogenes - ✔✔Proto-
oncogenes act like a "gas pedal" in the cell cycle, promoting cell growth and division
when needed—just as a car accelerates when you press the pedal. However, if proto-
oncogenes mutate into oncogenes, it's like a stuck gas pedal, causing the car (or cell) to
speed uncontrollably, leading to unregulated cell division and potentially cancer.
✔✔How to quantify Microarray results - ✔✔-Scientists convert the colors of microarray
results to numbers according to the intensity of red or green
-1. Calculate the ratio of red to green for each gene
-2. Convert the ratio to base 2 logarithm
✔✔what characteristic do all cancer cells share? - ✔✔they are unhealthy cells in which
the processes that regulate healthy cell division are damaged.
✔✔Interpreting Microarray Results- What do the colors mean? - ✔✔Green- the gene is
down-regulated in cancer tissue, higher gene expression in normal cells
Red- the gene is up-regulated in cancer tissue, higher gene expression in cancer cells
Yellow- gene is equally expressed in both cancer and healthy tissue
Black/No Color- gene is not expressed in either tissue
✔✔what is apoptosis? - ✔✔Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death that
occurs in multicellular organisms. It's a vital mechanism that helps maintain balance in
the body by eliminating old, damaged, or unnecessary cells
✔✔what is the role of proto-oncogenes? - ✔✔Proto-oncogenes regulate normal cell
growth and division, but when mutated, they can become oncogenes and lead to
uncontrolled cell proliferation, contributing to cancer development.
