More Family, Lower Risk Of Cancer

More family, lower risk of cancer

Members of large families are less likely to get cancer. This factor reduces the risk of developing cancer in both women and men. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Zurich using data from 178 countries. The results are published in BMC Cancer.

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Members of large families are less likely to get cancer. This factor reduces the risk of developing cancer in both women and men. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Zurich using data from 178 countries. The results are published in BMC Cancer.

Worldwide, the incidence of various types of cancer was higher in small families.

"This relationship was independent of income, urbanization and age," commented study author Professor Maciej Henneberg.

The authors found that not only the size of the family core (children and parents) plays a role, the number of family members living together matters. The second indicator that has a negative correlation with the incidence of cancer was the number of children born to one mother throughout her life.

Cancer types that have been found to decrease in incidence in large families include cancers of the brain, lungs, stomach, breast, ovary, cervix, and melanoma.

The protective properties of the family are more pronounced for men than for women. This was an unexpected finding for the researchers, as women are known to develop many types of cancer less frequently with more pregnancies.

The link between men's health and the fertility of their partners and family size can be explained. The family, while it can be a little anxious, creates a certain emotional microclimate that can increase resistance to disease, the researchers said. Humans have adapted to living in a particular family structure for thousands of years. This study shows that family members help each other lead healthier lifestyles that protect against cancer.