VOA常速英语2014--Simple Technique Could Mean End of Cervical Cancer 防治子宫颈癌的简易方法

Simple Technique Could Mean End of Cervical Cancer 防治子宫颈癌的简易方法

Most people think of malaria 1, AIDS and childbirth as leading causes of death for women in sub-Saharan Africa. But there's another killer 2: Cervical cancer. There is a simple test and technology that can save the lives of women in developing countries.

多数人以为，疟疾、艾滋病和生育是撒哈拉以南非洲地区妇女的主要死亡原因。但是，还有一个威胁妇女的重要杀手是子宫颈癌。一种新的简易方法和技术，能挽救发展中国家的很多妇女。

Every year, around the globe, half a million women develop cervical cancer and more than a quarter of a million die. The overwhelming majority of those deaths occur in developing countries.

全世界每年有大约50万名妇女罹患子宫颈癌，其中25万人会死去。死于子宫颈癌的妇女绝大部分在发展中国家。

In Burkina Faso, Adjaratou Kinda learned too late that she had cervical cancer.

在布基纳法索，金达知道自己得了子宫颈癌时已经太晚了。

"They said there is nothing else they can do for me here," said Kinda.

“他们说，已经没有任何办法治我的病了。”

A simple, inexpensive test could have saved her life.

可是一种简单又不贵的检验本来可以救金达的命。

In developed countries, most women can be screened for cervical cancer with a non-invasive test at a doctor's office. If lab results show abnormal cells, they have options: cryotherapy - killing 3 pre-cancerous cells by freezing the cervix, and, in more advanced cases, radiation or surgery.

在发达国家，多数妇女可以在医生的诊所做一种非侵入性的子宫颈癌检查。如果化验结果显示有不正常细胞，她们有几种选择：冷冻疗法，就是冷冻子宫颈，冻死初期的癌细胞。如果癌症进入晚期，可以用放疗或手术。

In developing countries, women don't have these options.

在发展中国家，妇女没有这些选择。

As a result, in sub-Saharan Africa, women who are HIV positive are surviving AIDS, but dying of cervical cancer.

结果是，在撒哈拉以南非洲地区，感染艾滋病毒的妇女能够存活，可是她们却死于子宫颈癌。

"In the pre-cancerous stage there are no symptoms. There’s no pain. There’s no bleeding. There’s no discharge," said Dr. John Varallo, who is with Jhpiego, a non-profit health organization. "The woman feels well. But that’s when she needs to be screened."

瓦拉罗为一个非盈利卫生组织工作。他说：“初期子宫颈癌患者没有症状，不疼，不流血，也没有体液排出。她们感觉良好。但是她们需要检查。”

Jhpiego is helping 4 establish programs in Burkina Faso and other countries so doctors, nurses and midwives can screen and treat pre-cancerous cells in one visit. A solution of simple table vinegar turns pre-cancerous cells white. During the same visit, cryotherapy kills them.

这个卫生组织在帮助布基纳法索和其他国家建立一些项目，以便医生、护士和接生人员检查和治疗初期子宫颈癌。方法很简单，醋溶液能让初期癌细胞变白，然后用冷冻疗法杀死癌细胞，连检查带治病，一次就解决了。

It takes 10 years or more for those cells to become cancerous. And yet cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide.

这些初期癌细胞还要过10年才会变成癌肿。可是，在全世界，子宫颈癌是妇女的第二大癌症杀手。

"It’s projected that by 2030, 98 percent of those cases will be occurring in developing countries. And, it’s really unnecessary because cervical cancer is almost completely preventable," said Varallo.

瓦拉罗说：“据推算，到2030年，98%的子宫颈癌将发生在发展中国家。其实这是可以避免的，因为子宫颈癌几乎是完全可以预防的。”

The World Health Organization calls cervical cancer a leading public health concern, and now with an inexpensive test, more women can be screened and their lives saved.

世界卫生组织把子宫颈癌称为首要公共卫生担忧。现在有了廉价的检查方法，更多妇女可以检查，从而存活下来。

"It’s relatively 5 easy to learn, does not require anesthesia, does not require electricity and you put a probe on the cervix with compressed gas through a tank and you do, what we call, a double freeze technique," continued Varallo.

瓦拉罗说：“这比较容易学，不需要麻醉。也不需要有电。只要把一个探针伸到子宫颈，打入压缩冷气。就行了。这叫双重冷冻技术。”

Varallo says the procedure is 95 percent effective. If screening and treatment can become more widespread, there will be no need for women like Adjaratou Kinda to learn that it's too late.

瓦拉罗说，冷冻手术的有效率是95%。如果检查和治疗能更普遍，金达这样的妇女就不会太晚发现子宫颈癌了。