Height, Leg Length, and Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review

Gunnell, David; Okasha, Mona; Smith, George Davey; Oliver, SE; Sandhu, Jeet; Holly, Jeff M.P.

doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.epirev.a000809

Cited by 383 publications

(310 citation statements)

References 292 publications

(375 reference statements)

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“…The magnitude of the association between total height and breast cancer was similar to that found in a number of prospective cohort studies (Gunnell et al, 2001). In one prospective study that looked at the associations of leg and trunk lengths with breast cancer incidence, the fully adjusted odds ratio comparing the top quarter of leg length to the bottom quarter was 1.6 (1.0, 2.6) and that comparing the top quarter of trunk length to the bottom quarter was 1.3 (0.7, 2.2) (Albanes et al, 1988).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

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Associations of adult measures of childhood growth with breast cancer: findings from the British Women's Heart and Health Study

et al. 2003

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Since the two components of adult height -leg length and trunk length -are poorly correlated with each other and appear to be influenced by different early life factors, examining their separate influence on breast cancer may provide additional insights into the mechanisms responsible for the positive association between adult height and breast cancer. In a cross-sectional study of 4286 women aged 60 -79 years, in whom there were 170 cases of breast cancer, we found total height, leg length and trunk length were all modestly positively and linearly associated with breast cancer. The magnitudes of the associations of leg and trunk length were similar: fully adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of breast cancer for a one standard deviation (s.d.) increase in leg length 1.17 (0.98, 1.39) and for a 1 s.d. increase in trunk length 1.19 (0.99, 1.41). Self-reported birth weight (available on 33% of the sample) was positively and linearly associated with breast cancer: fully adjusted odds ratio of breast cancer for a 1 s.d. increase in birth weight 1.30 (0.93, 1.80). These associations were all independent of each other and other potential confounding factors and are likely to reflect different mechanisms by which factors operating prenatally and prepubertally influence breast cancer risk.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…The majority of cohort studies have found that tall stature is associated with increased cancer risk. The most consistent associations are found for breast cancer, a recent review finding that all but one (Davey Smith et al, 2000) of 24 prospective studies showed a positive association with height (Gunnell et al, 2001).…”

mentioning

confidence: 77%

Associations of adult measures of childhood growth with breast cancer: findings from the British Women's Heart and Health Study

et al. 2003

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“…Previous reports also suggest no relationship between birth weight and mammographic features [18,41]. Our data suggest that the possible effect of leg length on breast cancer risk [42] is not mediated through factors which influence breast density.…”

Section: Main Findings and Interpretationsupporting

confidence: 46%

Life course breast cancer risk factors and adult breast density (United Kingdom)

Jeffreys

Warren

Gunnell

et al. 2004

Cancer Causes Control

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Objective: To determine whether risk factors in childhood and early adulthood affect later mammographic breast density. Methods: Subjects were 628 women who attended a medical examination at the University of Glasgow Student Health Service , responded to a questionnaire (2001) and had a screening mammogram in Scotland (1989Scotland ( -2002. Mammograms (median age of 59 years) were classified using a six category classification (SCC) of breast density percent. Logistic regression was used to determine associations between risk factors and having a high-risk mammogram ( 25% dense). Results: In multi-variable analyses, high-risk mammograms were associated with parity (adjusted odds ratio (OR) per child: 0.77 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61-0.99)), age at first birth, OR per year: 1.05 (0.99-1.11), smoking at university, OR smokers versus non-smokers: 0.58 (0.36-0.92) and body mass index (BMI) while at university, OR per 1 kg/m 2 0.75 (0.69-0.82). No associations with SCC were found for age at menarche, birth weight, oral contraceptive (OC) use, height, leg length or exercise at age 20. Conclusions: We confirm previous findings that breast density is affected by reproductive events and some anthropometric measures, however most of the risk factors acting throughout the life course which we examined were not closely related to adult breast density.

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“…Very few studies have had the possibility to examine the association between height and small intestine cancer risk. A large number of studies have, however, reported on a positive association between height and cancer risk at different other sites, for instance, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer (Gunnell et al, 2001). The associations reported have been relatively weak -the tallest individuals have been at a 20 -60% increased risk compared with the shortest.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The association has been explained by genes or by prenatal/childhood exposures. It has, however, also been demonstrated that raised levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 are associated with increased risk of different cancers (Gunnell et al, 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Height and body mass index in relation to cancer of the small intestine in two million Norwegian men and women

2005

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The present study aimed at exploring the relations between body mass index (BMI, (weight in kilograms)/(height in meters) 2 ) and stature and cancer of the small intestine (1162 cases) in a large Norwegian cohort (of two million) with measured height and weight. Elevated BMI in males and increasing height in both sexes were associated with a moderately increased risk of cancer of the small intestine. Overweight or obesity has been linked to an increased risk of several site-specific cancers, including colorectal cancers (Engeland et al, 2005). A large cohort study of male US veterans found a significant excess risk of small intestine cancer, especially of the duodenum, among obese white veterans (Samanic et al, 2004). Also, a recent cohort study of obese individuals in Sweden reported a significantly elevated risk of cancer of the small intestine, but only among men (Wolk et al, 2001).The aim of the present study was to explore the associations between body mass index (BMI) and height and the risk of cancers of the small intestine in a very large Norwegian cohort of both men and women with a long follow-up. STUDY POPULATIONThe study population has been described in detail elsewhere, (Engeland et al, 2004).Briefly in a series of health surveys during 1963 -2001, height and weight were measured in a standardised way by a trained staff in 2 001 727 persons (963 709 men and 1 038 018 women) aged 20 -74 years. Deaths, emigrations and cases of cancer of the small intestine (International Classification of Diseases, seventh revision (ICD-7): 152) in this cohort were identified by linkage to the Death Registry at Statistics Norway (Statistics Norway, 2005) and to the Cancer Registry of Norway (The Cancer Registry of Norway, 2005). Both these registries are population based and are covering the entire Norwegian population. A unique 11-digit identification number assigned to all individuals living in Norway after 1960 simplified the linkages.In the present study, only histologically verified cancers of the small intestine were included. Persons with a diagnosis of cancer of the small intestine, prior to the height and weight measurements, were excluded. Consequently, 32 persons were excluded in the analyses. In the analyses, the persons in the cohort were followed up from the date of measurement until the date of cancer diagnosis, emigration, age 100 years, death or until 31 December 2003. Altogether, 2 001 695 persons were eligible for the study. A small number of these (39 men and 32 women) were lost to follow-up. STATISTICAL METHODSCox's proportional-hazards regression models (Cox and Oakes, 1984), with time since measurement as the time variable, were fitted to obtain relative risk (RR) estimates of cancer. In the analyses, categorised variables for age at measurement, year of birth, BMI ((weight in kilograms)/(height in meters) 2 ) and height were included. BMI was categorised using the WHO categorisation (World Health Organization Consultation on Obesity, 1998): BMI o18.5 (underweight), 18.5 -24.9 (normal), 25.0 -2...

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Height, Leg Length, and Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review

Cited by 383 publications

References 292 publications

Associations of adult measures of childhood growth with breast cancer: findings from the British Women's Heart and Health Study

Associations of adult measures of childhood growth with breast cancer: findings from the British Women's Heart and Health Study

Life course breast cancer risk factors and adult breast density (United Kingdom)

Height and body mass index in relation to cancer of the small intestine in two million Norwegian men and women

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