2006年VOA标准英语-Lung Cancer is the Most Common Cause of De

By Carol Pearson and Rosanne Skirble
Washington, DC
09 March 2006
 
watch Lung Cancer report 

Dana and Christopher Reeve   
  
Dana Reeve was best known as the widow of actor Christopher Reeve, and as a tireless advocate for victims of spinal¹ cord injuries.

She died late Monday (March 6) of lung cancer, one of a growing group of non-smoking women who die from the disease.

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Dana Reeve had a nagging² cough that started after her husband's death in 2004. 
 
  
  
A cough is one of lung cancer's first symptoms. Eighty-five percent of men and 45 percent of women who have lung cancer got it from smoking.  So obviously, lung cancer can affect  non-smokers as well -- and that is more true in women than men.

The numbers vary from one part of the world to another but the trend is clear.

Cancer specialist Dr. Roy Herbst sees a definite increase of lung cancer among American women. 
 

Dr. Roy Herbst  
  
"Clearly, women do have a higher risk of getting lung cancer.  In fact, you know, lung cancer in women kills more women than breast cancer."

Statistics show that up to 20 percent of American women diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked cigarettes.

Doctors are not sure why young, non-smoking women are contracting this disease.

They speculate that it could be due to environmental factors such as air pollution, asbestos, secondhand smoke and even fumes³ from some cooking oils.

Women's bodies may even make them more susceptible⁴ to contracting lung cancer according to Dr. Jennifer Garst, a lung cancer specialist.
 

Dr. Jennifer Garst   
  
"It may be that women's bodies are unable to neutralize⁵ poisons or toxins⁶ such as secondhand smoke or air pollution as well as men's bodies (can).  Women's lungs in general tend to be smaller and therefore may concentrate these poisons at higher levels in the delicate lung tissue."

Many non-smokers get lung cancer from their smoking spouses⁷. 

Studies show it does not take much secondhand smoke to cause health problems for non-smokers.

Lung cancer is especially hard to detect because the symptoms: shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing up blood, occur in only about a fourth of the cases. 

By the time most people see a doctor, the cancer has spread too far to be effectively treated. Only fifteen percent are still alive five years after being diagnosed with the disease.

Worldwide, more than a million people die of lung cancer each year.

Until doctors have a way to diagnose lung cancer early, they say the best thing to do is to quit or never start smoking and to avoid secondhand smoke and other environmental toxins.

1 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。

2 nagging   

adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责

参考例句：

• Stop nagging—I'll do it as soon as I can. 别唠叨了—我会尽快做的。
• I've got a nagging pain in my lower back. 我后背下方老是疼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 fumes   

n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体

参考例句：

• The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. 我们孩子们的健康正受到排放出的废气的损害。
• Exhaust fumes are bad for your health. 废气对健康有害。

4 susceptible   

adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的

参考例句：

• Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
• We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。

5 neutralize   

v.使失效、抵消，使中和

参考例句：

• Nothing could neutralize its good effects.没有什么能抵消它所产生的好影响。
• Acids neutralize alkalis and vice versa.酸能使碱中和碱，亦能使酸中和。

6 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句