The researchers from University of Oxford has linked being tall to a greater risk of ten common cancers. They believe that being tall may increase the levels of certain hormones which are known to triggers tumours. For every four inches above five feet a person had a sixteen percent increased cancer risk.
The study followed more than one million middle aged women in UK between 1996 and 2001. It related ten cancer such as colon, rectal, malignant melanoma, breast, endometrial (uterus), ovarian, kidney, lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukaemia to height. They found those who were five feet and nine inch tall were more than thirty-seven percent more likely to get cancer than those who were just five feet.
The link may explain why rates of cancer have increased so much over the past few decades when average height has also increased progressively. Over the period of last century the height of people in Europe has increased by more than third of one centimeter every ten years. The statistics has shown increased cancer rates by about three percent every decade.
They believe one cause for the connection between height and tumour is that tall girls likely to start puberty earlier and their bodies start producing large amounts of the hormone oestrogen, which are known to trigger the growth of tumours. The researchers also point out that taller people has more cells in their body which could mutate and become tumours.
On the other hand, they could increase the rate of cell division and turnover, increasing the risk of cancer. According to lead author Dr Jane Green, from the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford, the fact the link between height and cancer risk seems to be common to many different types of cancer.
It suggests there may be a basic general mechanism, perhaps acting early in lives of people, when they are growing. Of course people cannot change their height. And being taller has been linked to a lower risk of other conditions, such as heart disease, added Dr Green.
Tall people should not be alarmed. Most people are not a lot taller than average and their height will only have a small effect on their individual cancer risk. This study confirms the link between height and cancer paving the way for studies to help them understand why this is so, explained Sara Hiom, director of health information from Cancer Research UK.