Academic English

What exactly is cancer, and what forms of cancer are most common in your country or area (liver cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, or other)? Search the internet to understand more about the disease and look up the most common forms of cancer treatment, both traditional and non-traditional therapies. Also, discuss whether family members openly discuss the disease and if there are any cultural norms on how people deal with cancer.

1. Emotional support is just as important as medical treatment for cancer patients.
2. Cancer patients should always get a second opinion before starting treatment.
3. Family members often feel more stress than the patient during treatment.
4. Alternative treatments should be offered alongside traditional medical care.
5. Governments should pay for all cancer treatments.
6. Support groups help patients recover more than individual counseling.
7. Early screening is the most powerful tool in fighting cancer.
8. Talking openly about cancer makes it easier for everyone to cope.
9. People with cancer should continue working if they feel able.
10. Cancer survivors should be involved in designing future treatment programs.

“come down with” = become sick with a particular medical problem
“If you’re not careful, you’ll come down with the flu.”

Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:

• diagnose (verb): determine the nature of a problem
  – This test will diagnose whether she has the disease.
• terminal (adjective): ending in or approaching death
  – His wife has a terminal illness and isn’t expected to live through the end of the week.
• in spite of (preposition): regardless of
  – Nathan was very cheerful in spite of his medical condition.
• dire (adjective): awful, fearful, nearly hopeless
  – The family found themselves in dire financial conditions after the loss of their father.
• prognosis (noun): a prediction of the course of a disease
  – With the development of new medications, the long-term prognosis for someone with that disease is good.
• jovial (adjective): merry, cheerful
  – My sister was still somewhat jovial in spite of her medical condition.
• upbeat (adjective): cheerful, positive
  – In spite of all my mother’s emotional challenges, she always tried to remain upbeat about life.
• self-pity (noun): a feeling of sorrow for personal sufferings
  – Although she was suffering from cancer, the woman felt there was little time for self-pity and devoted the rest of her life to service.
• deceased (adjective): dead
  – Both of my parents are deceased, and I only have one brother who is still living.
• hospice (noun): a program providing medical and emotional care for the terminally ill and their families
  – A local hospice came into our home to care for my grandfather while he was terminally ill.
• benefactors (noun): someone who helps other people
  – Many benefactors have contributed goods and money to the poor in our area.
• ponder (verb): reflect or think deeply on something, meditate
  – When you find yourself in dire circumstances, people often tend to ponder the purpose of life.
• attributes (noun): qualities or characteristics
  – There are so many attributes I admire in Mindy, my sister.
• lap of luxury (noun): a condition of wealth and comfort
  – Some people live in the lap of luxury while others live a relatively simple lifestyle from day to day.

Interview a friend or relative who has suffered from cancer, or who knows someone who has had it. Discuss the impact the disease has had on their families and how they were able to deal with it, both emotionally and spiritually. Also, find out more about the American Cancer Society and what activities it promotes in fighting cancer disease.

Use the internet to find information about one of these types of cancer: breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer. Then, answer the questions:

1. What are the main symptoms of this type of cancer?
2. What tests are used to identify the cancer?
3. What are the possible treatment options?
4. What is the possible prognosis for people in different stages of this cancer?