VOA慢速英语 2007 044a

This is the VOA Special English Health Report. 

The word "metastasize" means to change form, state or position.  It is not a word cancer patients want to hear.

Cancer can spread in a body two ways. As a tumor¹ grows it may invade neighboring tissue or organs. Or, cancer can metastasize. This is when cancer cells break away from a first tumor and travel through blood vessels² or the lymphatic system. The cells then grow in another part of the body. Not all cancers spread to other parts of the body after they are treated.

However, last month, two well-known Americans announced that their cancers had metastasized.

 
John and Elizabeth Edwards on March 22 as they announced that her cancer had returned, in an incurable³ form
Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic Party presidential candidate, John Edwards, said her breast cancer had spread to her bones. 

The next week the White House announced that Press Secretary Tony Snow's colon⁴ cancer had moved to his liver. The White House noted⁵ that the cancer was not in his liver but attached to it.

Missus Edwards‿breast cancer was discovered in two thousand four. She was treated for several months with chemotherapy drugs to shrink the tumor. Then doctors removed it. The lumpectomy operation was followed with radiation treatments to kill any remaining cancer cells.

 
Tony Snow 
Doctors removed Mister Snow's cancerous colon in two thousand five. He had chemotherapy for six months.

Most metastatic cancers are incurable. But most also are treatable. Chemotherapy drugs, radiation and other treatments can extend a patient’s life.

Life expectancies⁶ differ depending on the kind of cancer, the affected⁷ organ and other issues. Some research shows that only about twenty-five percent of newly discovered metastatic breast cancer patients live for five years. The average life expectancy⁸ for metastatic colon cancer patients is about two years. Doctors say chances are worse for patients whose cancer is not found until after it has already metastasized.

But doctors say they can only guess how long any person may live with metastatic disease. In February, American and Canadian researchers announced a finding that may help in the fight against metastasis. They said the same enzyme⁹ that controls the ability of cancer cells to metastasize also controls the process that keeps them stuck tightly together.

And that’s the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver¹⁰. You can read scripts and download audio from our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.

1 tumor   

n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour

参考例句：

• He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
• The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

2 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 incurable   

adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人

参考例句：

• All three babies were born with an incurable heart condition.三个婴儿都有不可治瘉的先天性心脏病。
• He has an incurable and widespread nepotism.他们有不可救药的，到处蔓延的裙带主义。

4 colon   

n.冒号，结肠，直肠

参考例句：

• Here,too,the colon must be followed by a dash.这里也是一样，应当在冒号后加破折号。
• The colon is the locus of a large concentration of bacteria.结肠是大浓度的细菌所在地。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 expectancies   

期待，期望( expectancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Each of us came with his own expectancies. 我们每个人都有自己的希望。
• In fact, modern lifestyles are actually exacerbating the gap between male and female life expectancies. 实际上，现代生活方式确实加大了男女寿命差别的鸿沟。

7 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。

8 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

9 enzyme   

n.酵素，酶

参考例句：

• Above a certain temperature,the enzyme molecule will become unfolded.超过一定温度，酶分子将会展开。
• An enzyme that dissolves the fibrin of blood clots.能溶解血凝块中的纤维的酶。

10 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。