What was the P-value for the difference in Beclin-1 means between primary tumors and metastases?

• A. P = .05
• B. P = .01
• C. P = .0001
• D. P = .001

Answer: (D)

When comparing two groups, the P-value tells you how compatible the observed difference is with the idea that there is no real difference between the groups. It’s the probability of seeing a difference as large as or larger than what you observed if Beclin-1 means really were the same in primary tumors and in metastases. A very small P-value means that this situation is unlikely to happen by chance, so you reject the idea that there is no difference.

In this comparison, the result produced a very small P-value, indicating strong evidence that Beclin-1 expression differs between primary tumors and their metastases. That is why this finding is considered statistically significant and is interpreted as a real difference rather than a fluctuation from sampling. If you’re weighing other potential results, they would show less compelling evidence against no difference and would not reach the same level of significance.