U N S V TM ISSUE 118, VOL. 2009 AUGUST 19, 2009 EXECUTIVE EDITOR: VAN ALLEN An Elaborate Daily Magazine for English Learners Written by Caty Weaver, Read by Steve Ember
UNSV.COM UNSV.COM 2009 2 22 120 6 VAN ALLEN UNSV.COM 2009 8 19
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival People since ancient times have used aspirin-like medicines to fight pain and reduce high body temperature. Modern research has found other uses for aspirin. The drug acts as a blood thinner. It can help blood flow past a blockage in an artery. Blockages can cause heart attacks or strokes. As a result, patients at risk of blockages might be advised by their doctors to take a low-strength aspirin every day. And research continues. A new study has shown that aspirin can improve survival in colon cancer patients. It involved about one thousand three hundred patients with colorectal cancer. The cancer had not spread to other parts of the body yet. The study compared patients who took three hundred twenty-five milligrams of aspirin at least two times a week with those who did not use aspirin. The study found that the aspirin users had an almost thirty percent lower risk of dying from their cancer. That was during an average of eleven years after the cancer was discovered. Andrew Chan of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital led the study. Doctor Chan says the effects appeared especially strong among patients with tumors expressing an enzyme called COX-2. Two-thirds of colorectal cancers produce that chemical. Doctor Chan thinks the aspirin works by blocking it. The study appeared last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It was an observational study. In a controlled study, some patients would have taken aspirin. Others would have received a placebo -- sugar pills -- for comparison. HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 1
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 Last year, Doctor Chan reported that a long-term study of almost fifty thousand men showed that aspirin can help prevent colon cancer. But the effects required at least six years of regular use. And the greatest risk reductions were in those who took more than fourteen aspirins per week. But the researchers warned that the dangers from such large amounts of aspirin should be carefully considered. Aspirin is a kind of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID. The earlier study found comparable reductions from the use of other NSAIDs, but not from the use of acetaminophen. All of these drugs have their uses but they also have risks. Aspirin can cause bleeding in the stomach, the intestines and the brain. People who might want to consider taking aspirin as a preventative measure should first talk to a doctor. noun verb adj adv pron [C] [U] OALD Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary e.g. sth something sb somebody aspirin - noun.[u, C] OALD> a drug used to reduce pain, fever and inflammation e.g.> Do you have any aspirin? Take two aspirin(s) for a headache. aspirin s aspirin-like -adj. +like e.g.> a cat-like animal HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 2
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 1899 3 6 > 1853 Charles Frederic Gerhardt > 1898 > 1899 Aspirin > colon - noun.[c] OALD> the main part of the large intestine colon 1.5m colon cancer survival - noun.[u] OALD> the state of continuing to live or exist, often despite difficulty or danger e.g.> His only chance of survival was a heart transplant. heart attack - noun. stroke - noun. thinner - noun. OALD> a substance that is added to paint, varnish, etc. to make it less thick e.g.> a strong blood thinner blockage - noun.[c] OALD> a thing that blocks flow or movement, for example of a liquid in a narrow place artery - noun.[c] OALD> any of the tubes that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body e.g.> a blockage in an artery colorectal - adj. e.g.> colorectal cancer HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 3
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 e.g.> The study compared patients who took three hundred twenty-five milligrams of aspirin at least two times a week with those who did not use aspirin. The study compared patients (?) with those who did not use aspirin. compare sth with sth patients who took 325 milligrams of aspirin at least two times a week. 325 who at least - e.g.> at least two times a week e.g.> The effects require at least six years of regular use. 6 tumor - noun.[c] OALD> a mass of cells growing in or on a part of the body where they should not, usually causing medical problems e.g.> a brain tumor enzyme - noun.[c] OALD> a substance, produced by all living things, which helps a chemical change happen or happen more quickly, without being changed itself expressing COX-2 - COX-2 e.g.> Doctor Chan says the effects appeared especially strong among patients with tumors expressing an enzyme called COX-2. Chan COX-2 COX-2 COX-2 observational - adj. e.g.> an observational study e.g.> In a controlled study, some patients would have taken aspirin. Others would have received a placebo -- sugar pills -- for comparison. would have done sth e.g.> We hoped that she would have got the plan ready before we came back. HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 4
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 placebo - noun. OALD> a substance that has no physical effects, given to patients who do not need medicine but think that they do, or used when testing new drugs nonsteroidal - adj. Wiktionary> that does not consist of, or contain steroids nonsteroidal non +steroid+al inflammatory - adj. OALD> causing or involving inflammation anti-inflammatory anti- + inflammatory NSAID = nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug acetaminophen bleeding - noun.[u] OALD> the process of losing blood from the body e.g.> Press firmly on the wound to stop the bleeding. stomach - noun.[c] OALD> the organ inside the body where food goes when you swallow it; the front part of the body below the chest e.g.> stomach pains It s not a good idea to drink on an empty stomach. intestine - noun. OALD> a long tube in the body between the stomach and the anus e.g.> Food passes from the stomach to the small intestine and from there to the large intestine. preventative - adj. OALD> intended to try to stop sth that causes problems or difficulties from happening e.g.> preventive medicine The police were able to take preventive action and avoid a possible riot. HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 5
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 90-120 HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival People since ancient times have used aspirin-like medicines to fight pain and reduce high body temperature. Modern research has found other uses for aspirin. The drug acts as a blood thinner. It can help blood flow past a blockage in an artery. Blockages can cause heart attacks or strokes. As a result, patients at risk of blockages might be advised by their doctors to take a low-strength aspirin every day. And research continues. A new study has shown that aspirin can improve survival in colon cancer patients. It involved about one thousand three hundred patients with colorectal cancer. The cancer had not spread to other parts of the body yet. The study compared patients who took three hundred twenty-five milligrams of aspirin at least two times a week with those who did not use aspirin. The study found that the aspirin users had an almost thirty percent lower risk of dying from their cancer. That was during an average of eleven years after the cancer was discovered. Andrew Chan of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital led the study. Doctor Chan says the effects appeared especially strong among patients with tumors expressing an enzyme called COX-2. Two-thirds of colorectal cancers produce that chemical. Doctor Chan thinks the aspirin works by blocking it. The study appeared last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It was an observational study. In a controlled study, some patients would have taken aspirin. Others would have received a placebo -- sugar pills -- for comparison. Last year, Doctor Chan reported that a long-term study of almost fifty thousand men showed that aspirin can help prevent colon cancer. But the effects required at least six years of regular use. And the greatest risk reductions were in those who took more than fourteen aspirins per week. HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 6
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 But the researchers warned that the dangers from such large amounts of aspirin should be carefully considered. Aspirin is a kind of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID. The earlier study found comparable reductions from the use of other NSAIDs, but not from the use of acetaminophen. All of these drugs have their uses but they also have risks. Aspirin can cause bleeding in the stomach, the intestines and the brain. People who might want to consider taking aspirin as a preventative measure should first talk to a doctor. 6 90-120 1300 325 30% 11 Andrew Chan Chan COX-2 2/3 Chan HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 7
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 Chan 5 6 14 2 NSAID NSAID MP3 /voanews/specialenglish/scripts/2009/08/19/0041/ MP3 + MP3 MP3 MP3 United States U.S. Saddam Hussein S.H. MP3 HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 8
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 3-4 principle principal MP3 /voanews/specialenglish/scripts/2009/08/19/0041/ MP3 MP3 MP3 MP3 MP3 HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 9
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival People since ancient times have used aspirin-like medicines to fight pain and reduce high body temperature. Modern research has found other uses for aspirin. The drug acts as a blood thinner. It can help blood flow past a blockage in an artery. Blockages can cause heart attacks or strokes. As a result, patients at risk of blockages might be advised by their doctors to take a low-strength aspirin every day. And research continues. A new study has shown that aspirin can improve survival in colon cancer patients. It involved about one thousand three hundred patients with colorectal cancer. The cancer had not spread to other parts of the body yet. The study compared patients who took three hundred twenty-five milligrams of aspirin at least two times a week with those who did not use aspirin. The study found that the aspirin users had an almost thirty percent lower risk of dying from their cancer. That was during an average of eleven years after the cancer was discovered. Andrew Chan of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital led the study. Doctor Chan says the effects appeared especially strong among patients with tumors expressing an enzyme called COX-2. Two-thirds of colorectal cancers produce that chemical. Doctor Chan thinks the aspirin works by blocking it. 1300 325 30% 11 Andrew Chan Chan COX-2 2/3 Chan HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 10
UNSV.COM Issue 118, Vol. 2009, August 19, 2009 The study appeared last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It was an observational study. In a controlled study, some patients would have taken aspirin. Others would have received a placebo -- sugar pills -- for comparison. Last year, Doctor Chan reported that a long-term study of almost fifty thousand men showed that aspirin can help prevent colon cancer. But the effects required at least six years of regular use. And the greatest risk reductions were in those who took more than fourteen aspirins per week. But the researchers warned that the dangers from such large amounts of aspirin should be carefully considered. Aspirin is a kind of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID. The earlier study found comparable reductions from the use of other NSAIDs, but not from the use of acetaminophen. All of these drugs have their uses but they also have risks. Aspirin can cause bleeding in the stomach, the intestines and the brain. People who might want to consider taking aspirin as a preventative measure should first talk to a doctor. Chan 5 6 14 2 NSAID NSAID HEALTH REPORT - Study Links Aspirin to Colon Cancer Survival Page 11