Chapter 11. Critical Thinking Exercise: Diagnosing Cancer

Critical Thinking Exercise: Diagnosing Cancer

Wanda, a 17-year-old European American female, is an avid soccer player on her high school varsity team. She is physically active and eats a pretty well balanced diet for her age. She was recently injured and had to sit out several games. The doctor finally cleared her and she is back on the field. Unfortunately, her knee is still swollen at the impact of the injury, but she does not tell anyone for fear of missing out on playing. Eventually, when the pain becomes too much she tells her parents, and they take her to the family doctor. He cannot find a reason for the pain and refers Wanda to an orthopedic specialist, who runs some bloodwork. The specialist becomes concerned by Wanda’s white-blood cell count and refers her to an oncologist.