Does Height Have Anything to Do with Cancer Risk?

Taller women have some advantages, such as not needing to wear high heels or have dresses hemmed, but a recent study suggests that height can be a concern when it comes to cancer risk. According to a university research team, there is a direct correlation for women between cancer risk and height, once they pass menopause. The analysis of 144,000 women suggests that for every additional 4 inches (10 cm) of height, a woman's risk of developing any of 19 types of cancer increases by 13 percent. The study took into consideration factors that influence cancer risk, such as weight, ethnicity, smoking, and drinking alcohol, and did not include women with any history of cancer, except those who had experienced non-melanoma skin cancer. The researchers concluded that more studies are needed to examine possible reasons for the link between height and cancer, which they suggest could be related to greater organ size or higher levels of growth factor. As of 2018, the average height of an American woman is 5'4" (163 cm).

Cancer risks and prevention:

• More people get skin cancer from tanning beds than get lung cancer from smoking cigarettes.
• Approximately half of all cancer cases and deaths are considered preventable, mostly through lifestyle changes.
• Naked mole rats are immune to cancer, possibly because of the abundance of a substance in their bodies known as hyaluronic acid.