Bambi Eloriaga-Amago
The taller you are, the greater your chances of developing cancer. This link between height and cancer has been known to scientists since the 1970’s, but in a recent study, researchers have been able to tweak the accuracy of predicting cancer risk.
By studying military records (dated 1938 to 1991) of people in Sweden, scientists discovered that men’s cancer risk rose by 11% for every extra 10 centimeters. Meanwhile, for women, the risk is 18% for every extra 10 centimeters.
Professor Mel Greaves of the Institute of Cancer Research theorizes that growth hormones could be the factor linking cancer risk to height. One study performed on laboratory mice showed that when producing more growth hormones, the rate of developing cancer also increases with body size.
Other scientists, however, are criticizing the study, noting that it didn’t account for other risk factors such as diet, smoking, and geographic location.
Dr. Jane Green from the University of Oxford cautions, “against interpreting a link as causal – however for height and cancer there is considerable evidence that suggests that the link is not explained by other known factors… Clearly, adult height is not itself a ’cause’ of cancer but is thought to be a marker for other factors related to childhood growth.”
