RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Adult Stature and Risk of Cancer at Different Anatomic Sites in a Cohort of Postmenopausal Women
JF Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention
JO Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev
FD American Association for Cancer Research
SP 1353
OP 1363
DO 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-13-0305
VO 22
IS 8
A1 Kabat, Geoffrey C.
A1 Anderson, Matthew L.
A1 Heo, Moonseong
A1 Hosgood, H. Dean
A1 Kamensky, Victor
A1 Bea, Jennifer W.
A1 Hou, Lifang
A1 Lane, Dorothy S.
A1 Wactawski-Wende, Jean
A1 Manson, JoAnn E.
A1 Rohan, Thomas E.
YR 2013
UL http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/22/8/1353.abstract
AB Background: Prospective studies in Western and Asian populations suggest that height is a risk factor for various cancers. However, few studies have explored potential confounding or effect modification of the association by other factors. Methods: We examined the association between height measured at enrollment in 144,701 women participating in the Women's Health Initiative and risk of all cancers combined and cancer at 19 specific sites. Over a median follow-up of 12.0 years, 20,928 incident cancers were identified. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate HR and 95% confidence intervals (CI) per 10 cm increase in height, with adjustment for established risk factors. We also examined potential effect modification of the association with all cancer and specific cancers. Results: Height was significantly positively associated with risk of all cancers (HR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.11–1.16), as well as with cancers of the thyroid, rectum, kidney, endometrium, colorectum, colon, ovary, and breast, and with multiple myeloma and melanoma (range of HRs: 1.13 for breast cancer to 1.29 for multiple myeloma and thyroid cancer). These associations were generally insensitive to adjustment for confounders, and there was little evidence of effect modification. Conclusions: This study confirms the positive association of height with risk of all cancers and a substantial number of cancer sites. Impact: Identification of single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated both with height and with increased cancer risk may help elucidate the association. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(8); 1353–63. ©2013 AACR.This article is featured in Highlights of This Issue, p. 1341