Author Question: A recent magazine article stated that bone mineral density (BMD) may one day predict breast cancer ... (Read 138 times)

sarasara · **on:** Jul 24, 2018

A recent magazine article stated that bone mineral density (BMD) may one day predict breast cancer risk in older women, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers followed the health of 8,905 women who were 65 or older and initially cancer free. Eventually 315 participants developed breast cancer. Women with the highest BMD were almost three times more likely to develop breast cancer, compared to the women with low BMD. Explain why it is not possible to conduct a randomized experiment in this situation.

Question 2

A recent magazine article stated that bone mineral density (BMD) may one day predict breast cancer risk in older women, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers followed the health of 8,905 women who were 65 or older and initially cancer free. Eventually 315 participants developed breast cancer. Women with the highest BMD were almost three times more likely to develop breast cancer, compared to the women with low BMD. Do the results of this study mean that a high bone mineral density (BMD) causes breast cancer in older women? Explain your answer.

bigsis44 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 24, 2018

Answer to Question 1

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO RANDOMLY ASSIGN WOMEN TO EITHER A LOW OR HIGH BMD; IT WOULD ALSO BE UNETHICAL TO FORCIBLY CREATE A HIGH BMD FOR A GROUP OF WOMEN AND SEE IF THIS INCREASES THEIR CHANCES OF DEVELOPING BREAST CANCER.

Answer to Question 2

NO; IT IS JUST PREDICTIVE AT THIS POINT. THIS WAS AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY, AND THERE COULD BE MANY CONFOUNDING VARIABLES.