People with bigger brains are more likely to develop cancer, reveals a new study.
People with bigger brains are at higher risk of developing cancer, reports a new study. It may simply be that having a big brain is itself the cause.
‘People with bigger brains are more likely to develop cancer. The more brain cells you have, the higher your brain cancer risk.’
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That's what doctor and Ph.D. candidate Even Hovig Fyllingen at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has determined with his research colleagues.Read More..
"Aggressive brain cancer is a rare type of cancer, but once you have it, the chance of survival is relatively low," he says.
Lifestyle Matters Less
For some types of cancer, lifestyle makes a big difference. People who smoke have a greater risk of lung cancer than non-smokers, for example. A person's lifestyle matters less for brain tumor development.
A large brain means more brain cells. And the more cells you have, the more cell divisions that can go wrong and create mutations that lead to cancer.
Big Organs, Bigger Risk
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To tackle the question, he relied on material from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT). It comprises health data and blood samples that have been collected in multiple waves of data gathering from thousands of Norwegians in the Nord-Trøndelag county region. The purpose of the study is to find out why some individuals become ill while others stay healthy, what affects our health and how our health affects our lives.
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The researchers used MRI scans to measure the size of the brain. Then 3D models were made from them so that the intracranial brain volume could be measured in milliliters.
Mostly Men Who Get Brain Tumors
The study also shows that more men than women develop brain tumors.
"Men have a larger brain than women because men's bodies are generally larger. It doesn't mean that men are smarter, but you need to have more brain cells to control a large body. This is also the case with animals. In bigger bodies, organs like the heart, lungs, and brain are also bigger," says Fyllingen.
Yet it turns out that women with big brains have a greater risk of developing brain tumors compared to men with big brains.
"Seventy percent more men than women develop brain tumors, but when we correct for head size, it's no longer beneficial to be female. Women with large brains are particularly susceptible. Why that is I have no idea," says Fyllingen.
Source-Eurekalert