Cancer causation -- inflammation and statistics

[mistersafety]

newyorker.com/magazine/2023...

Those of us whose cancer is quiet don't want to wake it up, but nobody knows for sure what to do (or not do). This article provides some food for thought and offers the opportunity for us to revisit our views about the role of inflammation and anti-inflammatory supplements. Along the way, we can review the benefits and drawbacks of correlation (such as proximity) not being causation and the Fisherian statistics that support the scientific studies and clinical trials we all rely on.

Years ago when I tried to solve IT network problems for a living, I learned that a problem with a single cause was relatively easy to solve but one with two (or multiple) causes could be vastly more difficult, especially if sequencing was also a factor. But the most difficult problems were ones that had multiple causes and also depended on a particular, variable set of environmental conditions.

This article discusses of how cancer can occur through a wider lens, especially the role of inflammation. It's pertinent in light of the very interesting (& sometimes heated--both pro and anti) discussions about inflammation, especially about anti-inflammatory supplements on this forum. Search the posts on "inflammation" to refresh.

In scientific studies (and on this forum) we often use statistics and logic to try to enhance our understanding. In this journey, for example, we try to learn about stuff like p-values, confidence levels and how to avoid logical fallacies like post hoc ergo propter hoc. Then an article like this comes along that brings up correlation, sequence and proximity issues and our statistical tools don't seem so great. Climate scientists have been to this movie and have better statistical tools and methods--such as Bayesian statistics--but I've now said more than I know.

Best to all.

Mr. Safety

[Maxone73]

If you want to learn more about Bayesian statistics, I can recommend this book (you can read it for free): greenteapress.com/wp/think-... Thin Bayes by Allen B. Downey, a great educator!

[austinsurvivor]

great read! Thanks for posting!

[j-o-h-n]

Your Text: Years ago when I tried to solve IT network problems for a living, I learned that a problem with a single cause was relatively easy to solve but one with two (or multiple) causes could be vastly more difficult, especially if sequencing was also a factor. But the most difficult problems were ones that had multiple causes and also depended on a particular, variable set of environmental conditions.

Being a very very old IT programmer/manager for large Banking and Financial institutions I solved most application problems by blaming them on the latest programmer who left the company. Took a lot of pressure off of me and my staff.....I may be dumb but I'm not stupid.....

Note: I wish to offer my apologies if I offended anyone regarding my so-called humor about "race" or "misogyny". To me, humor is boundless and since we entered this word crying, I thought it would be a good idea to exit laughing.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 12/19/2023 7:53 PM EST