DEVELOPMENT REPORT - New Cervical Cancer Test for Developing

DEVELOPMENT REPORT - New Cervical Cancer Test for Developing Countries
By Jill Moss¹

Broadcast: Monday, March 01, 2004

This is Robert Cohen with the VOA Special English Development Report.

Researchers say more than two-hundred-thousand women a year die from cervical cancer. These deaths are most common in developing countries.

The main cause of cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus, or H-P-V. This is a common virus that men or women can give each other through sex. H-P-V may go away. But if it remains² in the body, it greatly increases the chances of cervical cancer.

The cervix is part of the female reproductive system. It is the opening at the end of the uterus.

Cervical cancers develop slowly, usually over a period of ten or twenty years. There are tests that can find the disease early enough to save a woman's life. A common test is called a Pap smear³. Laboratory workers examine cells under a microscope.

But many national health systems do not have money for these tests. In other cases, there might be cultural issues. As a result, more than eighty percent of women who die from cervical cancer are in poor nations.

 
Graphic⁴ Image
Now a company in the United States says it plans to create a new test for cervical cancer in developing countries. The biotechnology company Digene says it expects research and development to take up to five years.

The test will be based on Digene technology already approved for use in laboratories in the United States and Europe. This technology uses computers to examine the genetic⁵ material in cells.

The goal is a test that is fast and low cost, has ease of use and is culturally acceptable⁶. Women themselves might even be able to collect the cells during their visit to a doctor. The company says the aim is to collect cells and get the test results during the same visit. If pre-cancerous cells are found, health workers may then freeze them to kill them. If cancer is found, doctors may order radiation or other treatments.

Digene notes that cervical cancer is now considered one of the most preventable cancers in rich nations. But it is a leading cause of cancer deaths among women in South and Central America, Africa and Southeast Asia.

A non-profit group in Seattle, Washington, called PATH will give more than two-million dollars to the Digene project. PATH is Program for Appropriate Technology in Health. The money is from a program paid for by a thirteen-million dollar gift from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Jill Moss. This is Robert Cohen.

1 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

2 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 smear   

v.涂抹；诽谤，玷污；n.污点；诽谤，污蔑

参考例句：

• He has been spreading false stories in an attempt to smear us.他一直在散布谎言企图诽谤我们。
• There's a smear on your shirt.你衬衫上有个污点。

4 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

5 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。

6 acceptable   

adj.可接受的，合意的，受欢迎的

参考例句：

• The terms of the contract are acceptable to us.我们认为这个合同的条件可以接受。
• Air pollution in the city had reached four times the acceptable levels.这座城市的空气污染程度曾高达可接受标准的四倍。