taller adults may face heightened risk of colorectal cancer: study

findings show that height is a risk factor for the disease and may indicate a need for earlier screening.

by dave yasvinski

published mar 08, 2022

last updated mar 10, 2022

3 minute read

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3 minute read

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taller adults may face heightened risk of colorectal cancer: study

there has been a long-observed relationship between height and colorectal cancer risk. getty

size matters when it comes to colorectal cancer, according to a new study that says taller adults may be at greater risk of developing the disease than their shorter friends. the meta-analysis, published in the journal cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention, found that much of the previous research on the subject included conflicting results, inconsistent measurements of height or failed to account for the risk presented by precancerous colon polyps known as adenomas.

“this is the largest study of its kind to date,” said gerard mullin, an associate professor in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at johns hopkins medicine. “it builds on evidence that taller height is an overlooked risk factor and should be considered when evaluating and recommending patients for colorectal cancer screenings.”

while the review does not prove causation, it strengthens a long-observed relationship between height and colorectal cancer risk. “one possible reason for this link is that adult height correlates with body organ size,” said elinor zhou, co-first author of the report. “more active proliferation in organs of taller people could increase the possibility of mutations leading to malignant transformation.”

researchers arrived at their conclusions after analyzing 47 international, observational studies that included 280,660 cases of colorectal cancer and 14,139 cases of colorectal adenoma. to account for differing measures of tallness, researchers compared the highest versus the lowest height percentile in each study group.

“the findings suggest that, overall, the tallest individuals within the highest percentile of height had a 24 per cent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than the shortest within the lowest percentile,” mullin said. “every 10-centimetre increase (about four inches) in height was found to be associated with a 14 per cent increased risk of developing colorectal cancer and six per cent increased odds of having adenomas.”

colorectal cancer is the third-most diagnosed cancer in canada, with just under 27,000 new cases arising in 2020, according to cancer.ca. it is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men and third in women. with approximately 73 canadians receiving the dire diagnosis — and another 27 dying from the disease — every day, identifying new causes and interventions have become a priority among researchers.

the percentage results used by researchers in this study were adjusted for known risk factors for colorectal cancer, including non-modifiable factors, such as age or family history. although not directly comparable, the team suggested that the influence of tallness may carry a risk of colorectal cancer on par with other modifiable risks, such as smoking or alcohol consumption.

“greater awareness by the public and government will help promote more interest and funding for more research, which ultimately could change guidelines for physicians to consider height as a risk for cancer,” mullin said. “there are well-known modifiable dietary associations for colorectal cancer, such as processed red meats and smoking, but guidelines currently are fixated on family history and height is clinically neglected when it comes to risk screening.”

further research is required to identify which taller populations may be most at risk for colon cancer. “for instance, tall athletes and individuals with inherited tallness, such as those with marfan syndrome, could be screened earlier and the impact of height further explored,” zhou said. “we need more studies before we can definitively say at what height you would need earlier colorectal cancer screening.”

dave yasvinski is a writer with healthing.ca

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