2007年VOA标准英语-Study: Western Diet Increases Risk of Colon Can

By Jessica Berman
Washington
14 August 2007

colon1 cancer, have been shown in labs to start with a high level of genetic2 instability and then in later stages this level goes down" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070817/1552490.jpg" width="209" vspace="2" border="0" />

The cells in certain cancers, like breast cancer and colon cancer, have been shown in labs to start with a high level of genetic instability and then in later stages this level goes down

A new study has found that people recovering from colon cancer significantly increase their risk of recurrence³ or death by eating a so-called Western diet, high in fat and processed foods. But VOA's Jessica Berman reports the findings are not definitive⁴.

In addition to setting the stage for the development of colon cancer, scientists have now found that a diet high in red meat and processed foods can lead to relapse or death in colon cancer patients who are undergoing treatment.

Researcher Jeffrey Meyerhardt of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts and colleagues looked at the impact of two distinct diet patterns, one healthy and one not, in a group of one-thousand patients with stage-three colon cancer, cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes.

The patients were part of a clinical trial of people receiving chemotherapy in the six months after surgery, and they kept detailed⁵ diaries of what they ate during this time.  Those who reported eating a healthy diet consumed large amounts of fruits, vegetables, poultry⁶, and fish.  Those who ate the so-called Western-style diet frequently consumed red meat, fat, refined grains and dessert.

Five years later, 324 patients had a recurrence of cancer and 223 patients had died.  Investigators⁷ found that those in the Western group with the worst diet were three times more likely to have a recurrence and die of colon cancer than those in the Western group who ate less junk food.

"People who have a higher Western pattern diet have an increased risk for recurrence, but that does not mean people who have very little of a Western pattern diet have no chance for recurrence," Meyerhardt said. "It is just relatively⁸, it is an additional thing to improve people with colon cancer's outcomes."

In contrast, among those patients who ate a healthy diet, there was no increased risk of recurrence and death.  

Meyerhardt says the study makes clear what the culprit is:

"It is not really increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables, but really trying to reduce the amount of red meat intake⁹ and fatty foods and sugary, 'desserty' foods...," Meyerhardt said. "

The study on diet and colon cancer is published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 

1 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。

2 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

3 recurrence   

n.复发，反复，重现

参考例句：

• More care in the future will prevent recurrence of the mistake.将来的小心可防止错误的重现。
• He was aware of the possibility of a recurrence of his illness.他知道他的病有可能复发。

4 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

5 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

6 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

7 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

9 intake   

n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口

参考例句：

• Reduce your salt intake.减少盐的摄入量。
• There was a horrified intake of breath from every child.所有的孩子都害怕地倒抽了一口凉气。