Analyzing Coffee's Cancer Link: An Epidemiological Perspective

This assignment delves into the complexities of epidemiological research concerning coffee consumption and cancer risk. It addresses whether epidemiological methods can detect small increases in risk and how inconsistencies between animal and human data can be reconciled. The discussion explores the challenges of using incomplete epidemiological data and interpreting conflicting study results, emphasizing the importance of standardized measurement policies to avoid bias. Furthermore, it examines how publication bias may affect the perceived relationship between coffee and various cancers, particularly concerning the underreporting of risks or coffee intake volumes. Finally, the assignment investigates the policy implications of epidemiological evidence, specifically regarding the labeling of coffee products as potential carcinogens due to the presence of acrylamide, balancing the lack of conclusive evidence of carcinogenicity in humans against animal studies. Desklib offers a wealth of resources, including past papers and solved assignments, to aid students in understanding these intricate topics.

Running head- EPIDEMIOLOGY
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1EPIDEMIOLOGY
Table of Contents
1. Detection of small increase in risk by epidemiological methods.............................................2
2. Reconciling the inconsistences between the animal and human data......................................2
3. Usage of incomplete or equivocal epidemiological data..........................................................3
4. Interpretation of the results when the findings of the epidemiological study disagree............3
5. Effect of publication bias on the relationship between coffee consumption and the various
cancers.............................................................................................................................................4
6. Labelling of coffee products as potential cancer causing agent...............................................4
References........................................................................................................................................5

2EPIDEMIOLOGY
1. Detection of small increase in risk by epidemiological methods
Yes, small risks in epidemiological methods can easily identify small increases in
the risk of the diseases. By following different epidemiological techniques, the causes,
occurences of different diseases can be measured and by comparing and contrasting the
circumstances, it can be identified whether any risk is there for again en epidemic or
pandemic outbreak of the disease. The procedure of epidemiological study includes at
first formulating the hypothesis or study questions. Next the population to be studied are
selected and after that the indicators should be selected. Then exposure and disease
should be measured and after that the analysis need to be done between the exposure and
the disease. After that it should be evaluated whether any bias is present or not and then
the chances of occurrence can be evaluated (Lachenmeier & Rehm, 2015).
2. Reconciling the inconsistences between the animal and human data.
Since 1950s, humans are using animals like rats, frog and rodents for doing different
scientific researches. For the purpose of testing the efficacy of different drugs, mainly rats are
used. In most of the cases it has been found that the lethal dose value of the drugs against the
animal models can be applied to humans. The humans are getting cured after being treated by
the drugs. However, properly reviewing different past research papers has to led to the
conclusion that almost less than 50% cases are there where the using the animals have
sufficiently predicted the outcomes of humans (Lahart et al., 2015).

3EPIDEMIOLOGY
3. Usage of incomplete or equivocal epidemiological data
Normally most of the epidemiological studies remain incomplete. It becomes
really difficult for the researchers to collect all the information while pursuing an
epidemiological study. Incomplete epidemiological studies lead to the reduction in the
efficiency of the study being done. Large numbers of data are simply manipulated for
completing the researches and this leads to the production of wrong result. For reducing
incomplete epidemiological data, multiple imputation of the incomplete data can be done
so that the reduction in efficiency of the studies does not occur. This procedure retains all
the important information, reduces the occurrence of bias and increase the efficiency of
the estimation of different parameters (Lahart et al., 2015).
4. Interpretation of the results when the findings of the epidemiological
study disagree.
Sometimes the results of the epidemiological studies may cause bias. Errors may
occur in the measurement of the exposure and the measurement of disease. A proper
standardised measurement policy must be followed in order to avoid making of such
errors. The right test should be done by making the correct cut off points. If the test has
been done and the result does not tally with the cut off, then n doubt the whole test will
go wrong. In order to avoid these type of circumstances a proper cut off value should be
made. In cases where continuous numerical value is present, table should be prepared for
putting the values correctly and if needed, standard deviation can be prepared.
Preparation of standard deviation avoids many errors while calculating the results (Tang
et al., 2015).

4EPIDEMIOLOGY
5. Effect of publication bias on the relationship between coffee
consumption and the various cancers.
Publication bias is the bias formed while publishing the academic researches. It
happens when the outcome of any experiment or any research study influences much in
the decision of whether it is needed to be published or not. The consumption of coffee is
related to the causes of oral cancer, stomach cancer, rectal cancer, liver cancer, bladder
cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Sometimes the researches
conducted on the causes of cancer by the consumption of coffee do not provide the risks
associated with the consumption of coffee. Some papers do not properly mention the
actual volume of coffee intake during the experiment. So it becomes difficult to take the
information from that where no particular measurement is given. These effects the
outcomes of the research work (Liu et al., 2015).
6. Labelling of coffee products as potential cancer causing agent.
The chemical acrylamide has been proved to a carcinogenic substance and this
chemical is present in the coffee. But no coffee products has been labelled to be
carcinogenic products. In different research experiments it is proved that acrylamide is
very harmful for animal body, it can cause different diseases and even it can cause
cancer.
Actually, no evidence is there in proving that acrylamide is carcinogenic to
human body inspite of proving its carcinogenicity against animals. May be due to these
reason, no coffee brand has understood the need of mentioning the coffee products as
carcinogenic (Liu et al., 2015).

5EPIDEMIOLOGY

6EPIDEMIOLOGY
References
Lachenmeier, D. W., & Rehm, J. (2015). Comparative risk assessment of alcohol, tobacco,
cannabis and other illicit drugs using the margin of exposure approach. Scientific
reports, 5, 8126.
Lahart, I. M., Metsios, G. S., Nevill, A. M., & Carmichael, A. R. (2015). Physical activity, risk
of death and recurrence in breast cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis
of epidemiological studies. Acta Oncologica, 54(5), 635-654.
Liu, H., Hu, G. H., Wang, X. C., Huang, T. B., Xu, L., Lai, P., ... & Xu, Y. F. (2015). Coffee
consumption and prostate cancer risk: a meta-analysis of cohort studies. Nutrition and
cancer, 67(3), 392-400.
Tang, J., Zheng, J. S., Fang, L., Jin, Y., Cai, W., & Li, D. (2015). Tea consumption and mortality
of all cancers, CVD and all causes: a meta-analysis of eighteen prospective cohort
studies. British Journal of Nutrition, 114(5), 673-683.