Bad Luck and Cancer
Most cancers are caused by 'bad luck' according to reports of a new study. But, actually, the study doesn't say that. Tim Harford finds out what the research really tells us.
Most cancers are caused by 'bad luck' according to reports of a new study. But, actually, the study doesn't say that. Tim Harford finds out what the research really tells us about the causes of cancer, speaking to PZ Myers, a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris, in the United States and Professor George Davey-Smith, clinical epidemiologist at Bristol University in the UK.
(Photo: Dividing breast cancer cell. Credit: Science Photo Library)
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So is cancer mostly 'bad luck' or not?
Reports sometimes claim cancer is most often caused by 'bad luck'. But is this the case?
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Broadcasts
- Sat 10 Jan 2015 14:50GMTBBC World Service Online
- Sun 11 Jan 2015 05:50GMTBBC World Service Online
- Sun 11 Jan 2015 23:50GMTBBC World Service Online
- Tue 13 Jan 2015 09:50GMTBBC World Service Online
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Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics used in everyday life
