Can chance cause cancer? A causal consideration

Publication date: April 2017
Source:European Journal of Cancer, Volume 75
Author(s): Mats Julius Stensrud, Susanne Strohmaier, Morten Valberg, Odd Olai Aalen
The role of randomness, environment and genetics in cancer development is debated. We approach the discussion by using the potential outcomes framework for causal inference. By briefly considering the underlying assumptions, we suggest that the antagonising views arise due to estimation of substantially different causal effects. These effects may be hard to interpret, and the results cannot be immediately compared. Indeed, it is not clear whether it is possible to define a causal effect of chance at all.



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