2006年VOA标准英语-Website About Genetic Testing Helps Predict Ris

By Melinda Smith
Washington, DC
27 September 2006
 
watch Colon¹ Cancer report

 
Growth(s) discovered in a colon
Colon cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the world.  But with early detection, colon cancer is highly treatable.  If you have a family history of colon cancer, you may be interested in a new questionnaire that helps decide whether genetic² testing is for you.

If you're not familiar with where your colon is...and what it does...take a look:  It is the last section of the digestive tract³, and its primary function is to store food waste, water and other fluids before they leave your body as waste. 

At least 940,000 cases of colon cancer are diagnosed each year. Almost 500,000 people die of the bowel⁴ disease yearly. The World Health Organization lists the major cause of colon cancer as a diet rich in fat, refined carbohydrates⁵ and animal protein.  Lack of exercise is a contributing factor. 

 
Dr. Sapna Syngal
Those are the disturbing facts that affect most people.  Fewer than the five percent of new colon cancers are traced to genetic makeup⁶.   But for those who do have a family history of the disease, Dr. Sapna Syngal of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute says genetic testing may make sense:

"The risks of developing cancer if you carry a mutation⁷ in one of these genes⁸ are extraordinarily⁹ high.  The risk of developing colon cancer is 60 to 80 percent."

The Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts has put together a Web-based questionnaire that is designed to help decide whether a blood test to confirm your genetic risk is for you. 

Dr. Syngal continues, "The genetic test doesn't mean that you're going to get cancer.  It just means that you're at risk for cancer and hopefully with this information we'll be able to prevent cancer from ever happening."

The questions deal with personal and family history.  The final score will confirm whether it's advisable to take the blood test.  Taking the test under the guidance of your physician is strongly recommended. The questions are in English, but there are plans to make them available eventually in other languages. 

A colonoscopy procedure, which allows the doctor to look inside the colon for signs of abnormalities, is still considered the most effective means of detection. 

Early diagnosis¹⁰ and treatment now mean there is a 50 percent survival rate of at least five years.

So, if you and your family members are among those with the inherited trait, the web address is www.dfci.org/premm or contact the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts for more information.

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 tract   

n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林)

参考例句：

• He owns a large tract of forest.他拥有一大片森林。
• He wrote a tract on this subject.他曾对此写了一篇短文。

4 bowel   

n.肠(尤指人肠)；内部，深处

参考例句：

• Irritable bowel syndrome seems to affect more women than men.女性比男性更易患肠易激综合征。
• Have you had a bowel movement today?你今天有排便吗？

5 carbohydrates   

n.碳水化合物，糖类( carbohydrate的名词复数 )；淀粉质或糖类食物

参考例句：

• The plant uses the carbohydrates to make cellulose. 植物用碳水化合物制造纤维素。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All carbohydrates originate from plants. 所有的碳水化合物均来自植物。 来自辞典例句

6 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

7 mutation   

n.变化，变异，转变

参考例句：

• People who have this mutation need less sleep than others.有这种突变的人需要的睡眠比其他人少。
• So far the discussion has centered entirely around mutation in the strict sense.到目前为止，严格来讲，讨论完全集中于围绕突变问题上。

8 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

9 extraordinarily   

adv.格外地；极端地

参考例句：

• She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
• The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。

10 diagnosis   

n.诊断，诊断结果，调查分析，判断

参考例句：

• His symptoms gave no obvious pointer to a possible diagnosis.他的症状无法作出明确的诊断。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做一次彻底的调查分析。