If you’re tall, watch for cancer

Paris – Taller people have a higher risk of cancer “hard wired” into them, partly because they have more cells for the disease to target, a study claimed.

Researchers in the US examined populations across three continents and found that the risk of contracting cancer for both men and women increased 10% for every 10cm in height.

Cancer develops when the body’s normal controls on cell growth stop working, leading to the runaway creation of abnormal cells that manifests as tumours.

A study published in the journal Proceedings of Royal Society B suggests the risk of several types of cancer is higher in taller humans simply because they have more cells and, therefore, more opportunities for those cells to become cancerous. –