VOA标准英语2010年-Early Detection Still the Best Defense

This year 1.5 million women around the world will be told they have breast cancer. Experts say there is now a 98 per cent rate of survival if the cancer is detected early. They also say a disproportionate number of dealths will be in the developing world where breast cancer is not normally diagnosed until late in the course of the disease. Breast cancer is the second most-common form of cancer among women in the United States. And it is the leading cause of death for women in Latin America.
A Harvard University study shows that more than half of the 450,000 people who died of breast cancer last year lived in developing countries. Yet experts say many of these deaths could have been prevented if the cancer had been detected early.
The American Cancer Society says 98 per cent of breast cancer patients survive when the cancer is detected early. Right now mammography is the best screening technique. Dr Laura Shephardson is an expert on women's health at Cleveland Clinic. "When a breast cancer is palpable (large enough to be felt), it's usually larger and has spread beyond the breast. Our goal with screening mammograms is to detect a cancer that is small and contained within the breast," she said.
Dr. Elmer Huerta at Washington Hospital Center sees many Hispanic patients. He says many Latin and South American communities do not have mammography machines, and there is a general lack of information about the disease. "So if you have a combination of a silent condition, a combination of lack of access to early detection methods, then what you get, when women find they have something, usually the tumor¹ has grown, has metastasized. And then they seek medical care and it is too late," he said.
Felicia Knaul, who is spearheading the cancer research program at Harvard University, says women need to be examined for suspicious lumps more often. She says she would also like to reduce the cost of the procedure by training local examiners. "To do a good breast clinical exam, you do not require an oncologist. You need someone who's been properly trained, and it's not that difficult to get this training," she said.
Dr Shephardson says women have to stay informed. And she says being properly informed requires overcoming the myths. One of the biggest myths, she says, is the idea that every lump is automatically a sign of cancer. "Any lump in the breast has plenty of benign² explanations, including cysts, even bruising³ in the breast can present as a lump. A suspicious lump is one that is firm, or hard, and has irregular edges, and is usually painless," she said.
Dr. Shephardson says many people are also unaware⁴ that family history can be a factor. Statistics show that women with a close relative who develops breast cancer are more likely to get it themselves. Some people think breast cancer is contagious⁵, which it is not, or that men do not develop breast cancer, when they can. Dr. Shephardson says there's also a false belief that a mammogram can cause cancer to spread through radiation. "Mammograms use very low-dose radiation. There's plenty of things you do in your daily life that is just as risky⁶. I think the potential risk of exposure to the breast is far less than the benefit that has been shown from screening mammograms," she said.
Still, the most dangerous thing about of breast cancer is its silent nature. It does not hurt when it is growing, so it comes as a surprise.
Many experts recommend that all women, starting at age 40, have annual mammograms. Some doctors even suggest that women as young as 20 should have annual clinical breast exams.

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 benign   

adj.善良的，慈祥的；良性的，无危险的

参考例句：

• The benign weather brought North America a bumper crop.温和的气候给北美带来大丰收。
• Martha is a benign old lady.玛莎是个仁慈的老妇人。

3 bruising   

adj.殊死的；十分激烈的v.擦伤(bruise的现在分词形式)

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• He slipped and fell, badly bruising an elbow. 他滑倒了，一只胳膊肘严重擦伤。 来自辞典例句

4 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

5 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

6 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。