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These resources have been reviewed and selected by STEM Learning’s team of education specialists for factual accuracy and relevance to teaching STEM subjects in UK schools.

Cancer and the Genome: The Issue

Produced by Teachers TV, this video shows the story of Sarah Walsh, a young woman living with melanoma. This is the third most common cancer in the 15 to 39 years old age group. The video describes the disease and explores questions such as what is cancer, why does it happen, how melanoma can spread and how it may be treated? It can be used to stimulate debate about the applications and implications of science.

Dr. Andy Futreal, co-founder of the Cancer Genome Project at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, explains that cancer occurs when cells start to behave in inappropriate ways. The route cause of all cancers is mutations in DNA, causing changes in cell behaviour.

The video contains some graphic images of melanomas and descriptions of how the disease can be fatal. Issues which may need to be treated with sensitivity.

The related programme, Cancer and the Genome: The Lesson, is also available to view.

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