2006年VOA标准英语-Osteoporosis Drug Reduces Breast Cancer Risk

 By David McAlary
Washington
20 June 2006

Older women at high risk for breast cancer may soon have a new treatment option.  Researchers have discovered that an osteoporosis drug is effective against the disease.  In fact, it is as good as the established breast cancer drug, and safer.

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The drug Tamoxifen can reduce a woman's risk of breast cancer by about half, but it now has a challenger.  A nationwide U.S. study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds a similar breast cancer benefit from a drug used to reduce the risk of brittle¹ bones.

"What we found was that the osteoporosis drug, raloxifene, was equally effective to the breast cancer treatment drug tamoxifen at reducing the risk of life-threatening breast cancer," said Dr. Vogel.

University of Pittsburgh physician Victor Vogel cites the main finding of a study of nearly 20,000 women who had reached menopause and were at high risk of breast cancer.  Besides finding that raloxifene is as useful as tamoxifen, Vogel's team also found it safer.

"Compared to tamoxifen, raloxifene was safer in terms of causing fewer uterine cancers and fewer life-threatening blood clots," he said.

Raloxifene also caused fewer cataracts², the clouding of the lens in the eyes.

But there were side effects with both drugs, which the doctors assessed in a second study of the same women.  Those on tamoxifen had more leg cramps³, and gynecological and bladder control problems.  Women on raloxifene had more muscle and bone aches, pain during sexual intercourse⁴, and weight gain.

Vogel's University of Pittsburgh colleague, Dr. Stephanie Land, says they asked the women how these unintended consequences affected⁵ them.

"What women are telling us is that although there are side effects with both of these treatments, that the side effects did not impact their overall quality of life in a negative way," said Dr. Land.

One of the raloxifene users was Marion Taube, who took it for five years as part of the two studies.

"I do not think I had any side effects - possibly leg cramping⁶, but I do not know if that was related to the raloxifene or unrelated," said Marion Taube.

Researcher Stephanie Land says the studies are good news for women.  She expects U.S. government drug regulators to approve raloxifene for breast cancer in about one year.

"The overall and exciting news from this study is that women will have two choices," said Stephanie Land.

But Dr. Vogel says for older women, raloxifene may become the drug of choice.

"We concluded from the study that for postmenopausal women who were at increased risk, raloxifene was probably a better, safer choice for reducing the risk of life-threatening breast cancer," he said.

1 brittle   

adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的

参考例句：

• The pond was covered in a brittle layer of ice.池塘覆盖了一层易碎的冰。
• She gave a brittle laugh.她冷淡地笑了笑。

2 cataracts   

n.大瀑布( cataract的名词复数 )；白内障

参考例句：

• The rotor cataracts water over the top of the machines. 回转轮将水从机器顶上注入。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Cataracts of rain flooded the streets. 倾盆大雨弄得街道淹水。 来自辞典例句

3 cramps   

n. 抽筋, 腹部绞痛, 铁箍 adj. 狭窄的, 难解的 v. 使...抽筋, 以铁箍扣紧, 束缚

参考例句：

• If he cramps again let the line cut him off. 要是它再抽筋，就让这钓索把它勒断吧。
• "I have no cramps." he said. “我没抽筋，"他说。

4 intercourse   

n.性交；交流，交往，交际

参考例句：

• The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。
• There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 cramping   

图像压缩

参考例句：

• The bleeding may keep my left hand from cramping. 淌血会叫我的左手不抽筋。
• This loss of sodium can cause dehydration and cramping. 钠流失会造成脱水和抽筋。