01905nas a2200217 4500000000100000008004100001100001900042700001100061700001100072700001500083700001800098700001800116700001600134700001300150245009300163250001500256300001100271490000700282520135200289020004601641 2010 d1 aBarzi Federica1 aWoo J.1 aKim H.1 aUeshima H.1 aHuxley Rachel1 aWoodward Mark1 aJamrozik K.1 aBatty G.00aAdult height and cancer mortality in Asia: the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration a2009/11/06 a646-540 v213 a

BACKGROUND: The observation that taller people experience an increased risk of selected cancers is largely restricted to Caucasian cohorts. These associations may plausibly differ in Asian populations. For the first time, we make direct comparison in the same analyses of the associations between height and a series of malignancies in Australasian (Caucasian) and Asian populations. METHODS: Analyses were based on the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration of 506 648 study participants (408 381 Asia, 98 267 Australasia) drawn from 38 population-based cohort studies. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the relationship between height and cancer rates. RESULTS: A total of 3 272 600 person-years of follow-up gave rise to 7497 cancer deaths (4415 in Asia; 3082 in Australasia). After multiple adjustments and left censoring, taller individuals experienced increased rates of carcinoma of the intestine (men and women); all cancers, liver, lung, breast, 'other' malignancies (all women); and cancers of the prostate and bladder (men). No consistent regional (Asia versus Australasia) or sex differences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, taller men and women had an elevated risk of selected malignancies. These associations did not differ appreciably between Asian and Caucasian populations.

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