Testicular Cancer: Heighted Men Are At Risk

Former Chelsea player Jason Cundy is 6ft and battled testicular cancer twice. Now scientists think a growth hormone may play a part

Tall men have a higher risk of developing testicular cancer, scientists have found.

An analysis of 13 previous studies, involving thousands of men, found that every extra two inches in height raises the odds of the disease by 13 per cent.

It is unclear what is behind the link, but it may be that the hormones involved in growth also help fuel the disease.

Testicular cancer affects some 2,000 British men a year and, unlike many other cancers, is most common in the young.

Half of cases occur in men aged under 35, with those aged 25 to 34 the most likely to be affected.

It is also one of the most easily treated forms of the disease, with survivors including seven-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and Grand National-winning jockey Bob Champion.

The US researchers made the link with height after crunching together data from more than a dozen studies from around the world.

Researcher Dr Michael Blaise Cook, of the National Cancer Institute in Maryland, said it was unclear why the two are connected.

Writing in the British Journal of Cancer, he said that genes, nutrition, hormones and other factors that affect height may also play a role in the cancer.

But British cancer experts urged tall men not to worry, saying that the cancer is relatively rare and that factors such as a family history of the disease are far more influential.

Sara Hiom, of Cancer Research UK, added: 'It is still important for men to be aware of any changes to the size and weight of their testicles and not delay seeing their GP if they are concerned.

'This is particularly true for young men as the disease is more common with under-35 year olds.

'The outlook for testicular cancer is also one of the best for all cancers – even after the disease has spread, patients can be cured.

'There is still very little information about what causes testicular cancer; it is a disease that can affect men of any height as shown by jockey Bob Champion who won his battle against testicular cancer by coming back from illness to win the Grand National a year later.'

Height has previously been linked with prostate cancer.

source: dailymail.co.uk