2006年VOA标准英语-Study Reports Growing Number of Treatments

By Pat Harris
Washington, DC
01 March 2006
 
watch Prostate Cancer report

Thousands of men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. And as VOA's Pat Harris reports, sometimes choosing a treatment can be difficult. 

A new study by doctors at the Beth Israel Center in New York reports there are a growing number of treatments for prostate cancer, but each has its own risks.  

 
Lewis Weitzner 
  
Lewis Weitzner's mother died of ovarian cancer when she was 57 years old.  Last year at at age 51, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  He said it was easy for him to choose a treatment.

"I was already sure I wanted it removed with surgery.  I did not want to play around."

Lewis chose the newest prostate surgery, a Robotic Radical¹ Prostatectomy.  The surgeon operates robotic arms, which use tiny instruments to perform the actual surgery.  

Dr. John Phillips  
  
Dr. John Phillips at the Beth Israel Medical Center said there's hardly any bleeding. "The sheer absence of bleeding allows for a pristine² field and allows you to identify all the structures you normally have a difficult time seeing through traditional open surgery."

Dr. Phillips said it also has other advantages for patients. "Patients have quicker recovery and overall do better, get out of the hospital faster and have less pain."

But another study reports the advantages of robotic surgery are insignificant³ when compared to traditional open surgery that is done successfully.

Dr. Peter Albertson  
  
Dr. Peter Albertson at the University of Connecticut. "Is it cheaper? No.  Does it get the patient out significantly earlier? No.  Does it lead to higher rates of continence? No.  Does it improve sexual function afterwards?  We don't think so.  So then the question is, 'what is the advance?' "

Many experts believe that robotic surgery is often excessively promoted.  Dr. Albertson said choosing an experienced surgeon is more important than choosing between traditional or robotic surgery.

"This is a slow-growing tumor⁴ so there's no urgency to race off and make a decision."

Lewis Weitzner said robotic surgery was the right decision for him. "I have no reason to look back and say, 'Gee⁵ should I have done it another way.'  None."

Some researchers say men should take their time when choosing treatments for prostate cancer.

1 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

2 pristine   

adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的

参考例句：

• He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
• He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。

3 insignificant   

adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的

参考例句：

• In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。
• This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

4 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。

5 gee   

n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转

参考例句：

• Their success last week will gee the team up.上星期的胜利将激励这支队伍继续前进。
• Gee,We're going to make a lot of money.哇！我们会赚好多钱啦！