42. Therapies PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH IN USE FOR MEDICINE

PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH IN USE FOR MEDICINE

42. Therapies

A	Radiotherapy and chemotherapy Radiotherapy is the use of radiation in controlled doses to treat cancers. It works by damaging the DNA nad malignant cells. Radiotherapy may be used: A as curative treatment, for example to shrink tumours B as adjuvant, alongside or following chemotherapy – treatment with anti-cancer drugs. C in lower doses ad palliative treatment to reduce pain and other symptoms of cancer or disease, but not as a cure. A radiologist determines the dose and the exact target for the radiation beams. Dosage is measured in grays (Gy). A daily dose is a fraction. Radiotheraphy can also be delivered internally by radioactive implants such as needles, or by liquids such as strontium for some bone cancers.
B	A day in the life of a physiotherapist Sam is a hospital physiotherapist. She works mainly with patients who have conditions or injuries affecting the lower extremities such as fractures, torn ligaments, and cartilage tears. Most of her patients are referrals from other departments in her hospital. She also works with patients in rehabilitation following orthopaedic surgery. Some are young people with sports injuries, others are elderly people who have had hip replacements. Among her therapies are manipulation, massage, and exercise to keep the joints mobile and to strengthen muscles. Rehabilitating some patients means helping them to walk again using crutches or Zimmer frames.
C	Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of the ‘talking therapies’ for mental health conditions. It aims to eliminate negative thoughts and change behaviour in response to these thoughts. It can help with anxiety, panic attacks, depressive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic fatigue. Therapy can be provided in face-to-face sessions with a therapist, but delivery by computer can also be effective. It is more effective than counselling for some and can provide long-term protection against relapse, a return of symptoms after improvements. However, patients must be committed to solving their problems and prepared to work on them between sessions.
D

EXERCISES

42.1	Name the therapy being described. The same therapy may be described more than once. Look at A, B and C above to help you. 1 Treatment with drugs toxic to cancer 2 Treatment of cancer by radiation 3 May include massage 4 Aims to eliminate negative thoughts 5 Can involve helping people to walk again 6 Can help with panic attacks.
42.2	Complete the sentences. Look at A above to help you. 1 ___________  treatment is given in larger doses than palliative treatment. 2 Radiotherapy can be used alongside other treatments as ___________ therapy. 3 ___________ treatment is treatment which helps relieve the symptoms of a condition but does not cure it. 4 Radioactive ___________ are wires or needles placed into the area to be treated. 5 A typical ___________ for an adult is 1.8 to 2 Gy.
42.3	Complete the text describing a typical working day for Sam. Look at B above to help you.

Answer key