Question

A prospective cohort study followed 8,542 women for 10 years to determine if alcohol consumption increased the risk of breast cancer. No statistically significant association was found. 12,000 women had been enrolled in the study at its initiation, but 3,458 had withdrawn during the 10-year period. A follow-up of spouses, friends, and relatives of the women who withdrew revealed that more than 60

1) Less than 1%
2) Between 1% and 5%
3) Between 5% and 10%
4) More than 10%

Answer 1

To calculate the percentage of women who withdrew from the study, follow these steps:

1. **Calculate the number of women who completed the study:**
12,000 (initial enrollment) - 3,458 (withdrawn) = 8,542

2. **Find the percentage of women who withdrew:**
(3,458 / 12,000) * 100 = X%

Now, let's calculate it.

\[ X = \left( \frac{3,458}{12,000} \right) \times 100 \]

\[ X \approx 28.82\% \]

So, the percentage of women who withdrew from the study is approximately 28.82%.

Since none of the provided options (1%, 1-5%, 5-10%, more than 10%) exactly matches, you may need to choose the closest option. In this case, it would be "More than 10%" (Option 4).

Answer 2

The headline "Coffee Protects Against Cancer" is misleading because it oversimplifies the findings of a correlation study into a causal relationship, which could mislead readers about the complexity of cancer prevention and the role of diet in it. More nuanced reporting would provide a clearer understanding but might attract less attention from the general public.

Step-by-step explanation:

The headline "Coffee Protects Against Cancer" is misleading because it implies a cause-and-effect relationship between coffee consumption and a decreased risk of breast cancer, which the study in Nutrition and Cancer only identifies as a negative correlation. This correlation does not account for other lifestyle factors which may contribute to the participants' overall cancer risk. A more accurate headline would be less sensational but more informative and might draw less interest from the general public because it doesn't suggest a simple solution (drinking coffee) to prevent a complex disease such as cancer.

Furthermore, it's important to note that the health impacts of substances such as alcohol and coffee can be complex. Studies like the prospective cohort study mentioned did not find a statistically significant association between alcohol and breast cancer over a 10-year period. However, a separate study found negative correlation between coffee consumption and breast cancer risk, but this does not necessarily imply causation. The article's claim could suggest an oversimplified view of the role of diet in cancer prevention, ignoring other contributing factors such as genetics, environment, and overall lifestyle.