Biology • Year 12 • Module 8 • Lesson 15
Treatment and Management of Non-infectious Diseases
Lock in the core vocabulary, the four treatment categories, and drug mechanisms before moving to application tasks.
1. Term–definition match
The twelve definitions below are shuffled. In the right-hand column write the matching term from this list: pharmacological treatment, surgical treatment, lifestyle management, gene therapy, statins, metformin, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, CABG, PBS, primary prevention, tertiary prevention. 12 marks
| # | Definition (shuffled) | Matching term |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Drugs that competitively inhibit HMG-CoA reductase in the liver, reducing hepatic cholesterol synthesis and lowering serum LDL levels to slow atherosclerotic plaque formation. | |
| 1.2 | A treatment approach that activates AMPK in hepatocytes, reducing gluconeogenesis and improving GLUT4-mediated glucose uptake in peripheral tissues; used as first-line pharmacological treatment for Type 2 diabetes. | |
| 1.3 | Cytotoxic agents that target all rapidly dividing cells by interfering with DNA replication or mitotic spindle formation; examples include cisplatin and taxanes. | |
| 1.4 | A category of pharmacological treatment that blocks cancer-specific proteins (e.g. BCR-ABL, HER2) rather than all dividing cells, producing fewer off-target side effects than conventional chemotherapy. | |
| 1.5 | A surgical procedure in which a blood vessel graft (from the saphenous vein or internal mammary artery) reroutes blood around a blocked coronary artery to restore myocardial blood flow. | |
| 1.6 | An emerging treatment approach that delivers a functional gene copy to target cells using a viral vector, or edits a faulty DNA sequence using CRISPR-Cas9; currently experimental for most non-infectious diseases. | |
| 1.7 | An approach to managing established non-infectious disease through dietary modification, physical activity, weight management and smoking cessation, rather than drugs or surgery. | |
| 1.8 | Treatment of disease using drugs that target specific molecular components of the disease pathway (enzymes, receptors, proteins). | |
| 1.9 | Treatment that physically removes or repairs diseased tissue, such as excision of a primary tumour or bypass of a blocked artery. | |
| 1.10 | The Australian government scheme that subsidises approved medicines, reducing patient cost from thousands of dollars to a low co-payment per prescription. | |
| 1.11 | Reducing exposure to risk factors before disease develops; includes dietary advice, public health campaigns, and physical activity promotion. | |
| 1.12 | Managing established disease to reduce complications and disability; examples include cardiac rehabilitation programs post-CABG and diabetes education services. |
2. True or false — with correction
For each statement, circle T or F. If the statement is false, write the corrected version on the line provided. 10 marks (1 per T/F + 1 per correction)
2.1 Chemotherapy is a targeted therapy because it specifically destroys cancer cells without affecting normal cells. T / F
2.2 Statins reduce blood LDL by causing the liver to upregulate LDL receptor expression. T / F
2.3 CABG removes the atherosclerotic plaques from the coronary arteries, resolving the underlying lipid disease. T / F
2.4 Lifestyle management is classified as a treatment (not just prevention) for patients who already have a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. T / F
2.5 Gene therapy for most non-infectious diseases is currently approved as a standard clinical treatment in Australia. T / F
3. Function recall
Answer each prompt in 1–2 sentences using precise terms from the lesson. 10 marks (2 each)
3.1 What is the function of HMG-CoA reductase in the liver, and what happens when statins inhibit it?
3.2 What is the function of GLUT4 transporter translocation in managing blood glucose during exercise?
3.3 What is the function of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase in CML cancer cells, and how does imatinib interfere with this function?
3.4 What is the function of cardiac rehabilitation for a patient who has had a CABG?
3.5 What is the function of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in relation to treatment accessibility for Australian patients?
4. Cloze — complete the paragraph
Fill in each blank using a term from the word bank below. Each term is used once only. 8 marks
Word bank: AMPK • gluconeogenesis • hepatocytes • HbA1c • metformin • insulin sensitivity • visceral fat • GLUT4
For a patient newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, Australian Diabetes Society guidelines recommend lifestyle modification as the first-line treatment. Physical exercise triggers the translocation of __________________ transporter proteins to muscle cell membranes, allowing glucose uptake without insulin. When this is insufficient, __________________ is prescribed as the first pharmacological agent. It acts in __________________ by activating the enzyme __________________, which reduces the process of __________________ — the synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate precursors. The overall effect is improved __________________ in peripheral tissues and lower fasting blood glucose. Monitoring of blood glucose control uses __________________ (target below 7.0% for most patients). If lifestyle modification is maintained with significant weight loss, the resulting reduction in __________________ further decreases insulin resistance.
5. Build a concept map — treatment categories
Draw labelled arrows between the six terms below to show how they connect. Each arrow must carry a linking phrase (e.g. "is an example of", "is used to treat", "acts by"). Aim for at least 6 labelled arrows. 6 marks
Supplied terms: pharmacological treatment • statins • cardiovascular disease • LDL-cholesterol • HMG-CoA reductase • atherosclerosis
Q1 — Term–definition matches
1.1 statins • 1.2 metformin • 1.3 chemotherapy • 1.4 targeted therapy • 1.5 CABG • 1.6 gene therapy • 1.7 lifestyle management • 1.8 pharmacological treatment • 1.9 surgical treatment • 1.10 PBS • 1.11 primary prevention • 1.12 tertiary prevention
Q2 — True / false with correction
2.1 False. Correction: Conventional chemotherapy is NOT targeted — it damages all rapidly dividing cells, including hair follicles, gut epithelium, and bone marrow. It is targeted therapy (e.g. imatinib) that acts on cancer-specific molecules.
2.2 True. Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, reducing hepatic cholesterol synthesis; the liver then upregulates LDL receptor expression to take more circulating LDL into the cell.
2.3 False. Correction: CABG bypasses the blocked section of the coronary artery by grafting a new vessel around it — it does NOT remove the atherosclerotic plaques. Statins and lifestyle management remain essential post-surgery to slow ongoing disease progression.
2.4 True. Lifestyle management is first-line treatment for early-stage T2D in Australian Diabetes Society guidelines — it directly targets existing insulin resistance in a diagnosed patient, not merely prevents future disease.
2.5 False. Correction: Gene therapy for most non-infectious diseases (including cystic fibrosis, most cancers) is currently experimental — it is in clinical trials but is NOT approved as a standard clinical treatment for these conditions in Australia.
Q3.1 — HMG-CoA reductase function
HMG-CoA reductase is the rate-limiting enzyme in the mevalonate pathway for cholesterol synthesis in hepatocytes. When statins inhibit it, hepatic cholesterol production falls, causing liver cells to upregulate LDL receptor expression — increasing uptake of LDL-cholesterol from the blood and lowering serum LDL.
Q3.2 — GLUT4 translocation function
During aerobic exercise, AMPK activation in muscle cells triggers translocation of GLUT4 transporter vesicles to the plasma membrane, enabling glucose uptake from blood independently of insulin receptor signalling. This directly lowers blood glucose and is why exercise is a treatment for T2D as well as a prevention strategy.
Q3.3 — BCR-ABL and imatinib
BCR-ABL is a constitutively active tyrosine kinase produced by the Philadelphia chromosome translocation in CML cells; it continuously phosphorylates downstream signalling proteins, driving uncontrolled cell division. Imatinib binds to the ATP-binding site of BCR-ABL, blocking phosphorylation and stopping the proliferative signal — because normal cells do not express BCR-ABL, imatinib selectively kills CML cells.
Q3.4 — Cardiac rehabilitation function
Cardiac rehabilitation programs post-CABG combine supervised exercise, dietary counselling and psychological support. Their function is to reduce 30-day hospital readmission rates, improve long-term cardiovascular fitness, and address the ongoing atherosclerotic disease process that surgery alone does not treat.
Q3.5 — PBS function
The PBS subsidises approved medicines so that Australian patients pay a low government co-payment (approximately $7.70–$31.60 in 2024) rather than the full market price. For example, imatinib (which costs ~$40,000/year unsubsidised) costs approximately $40/month on the PBS, making it financially accessible to most Australians.
Q4 — Cloze answers (in order of blanks)
GLUT4 • metformin • hepatocytes • AMPK • gluconeogenesis • insulin sensitivity • HbA1c • visceral fat
Q5 — Sample concept map
Acceptable arrows include: statins — is an example of → pharmacological treatment; statins — competitively inhibit → HMG-CoA reductase; HMG-CoA reductase — when inhibited, lowers → LDL-cholesterol; LDL-cholesterol — contributes to → atherosclerosis; atherosclerosis — is a driver of → cardiovascular disease; pharmacological treatment — is used to treat → cardiovascular disease. Award full marks for any 6 biologically valid labelled arrows that respect causal direction.