Cell Division and Cancer Risk

This activity guides the analysis of a published scientific figure from a study that investigated how random mutations during cell division can contribute to cancer.

Hereditary and environmental factors explain only a fraction of overall cancer risk. In this study, researchers investigated how a third factor, chance mutations during stem cell division and DNA replication, may contribute to the cancer rates of various body tissues. The figure compares how many times stem cells divide in different tissues with the lifetime risks of developing cancer in those tissues. The “Educator Materials” document includes a captioned figure, background information, graph interpretation, and discussion questions. The “Student Handout” includes a captioned figure and background information.

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