Kanker en beroepshalve blootstelling aan elektromagnetische velden.

Bron: European Journal of Oncologie 2011; 16 (1): 21 - 54

A sentinel case series of cancer patients with occupational exposures to electromagnetic non-ionizing radiation and other agents. epidemiol.

By: Stein Y, Levy-Nativ O, Richter ED

Aim of study (according to author)
A case series of cancer patients with occupational exposures to electromagnetic non-ionizing fields and other agents was reported by a medical unit in Israel. Furthermore, the hypothesis that latencies for all tumor types were coherently related to high occupational exposures starting at young ages should be examined.

Endpoints/type of risk estimation

■leukemia and lymphoma
■brain tumor
■breast cancer
■testicular cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, bone cancer, malignant melanoma, lung cancer and other cancer types

Exposure

■radio frequency field, Radio/TV transmitter, radar, wireless transmitter (RF), magnetic field, 50/60 Hz (AC), power transmission line, electrical utility, PC/TV monitor, non-EMF exposure■type of exposure: occupational
■assessment by interview (type of occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields)

Population
Study group: men and women, aged from 18 to 69 years
Study location: Israel
Source of data: Unit of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel

Further parameters acquired by interview (type of occupational exposure to other agents (e.g., solvents, pesticides, ionizing radiation); nightshift; previous diseases such as cancer)

Study size
number eligible 47
Remark: 47 cancer patients with 55 tumors

Results/conclusion (according to author)
Overall, 47 cancer patients (40 male, 7 female) with different cancer types were presented. 15 patients developed cancer with latent periods between first occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields and diagnosis of cancer of less than 5 years, 12 patients with latent periods between 5 and 10 years, and the remaining 20 patients had longer latent periods. Many of the patients were young (7 patients under 20 years and 17 patients between 20 and 29 years) and had extremely short latent periods, especially for hematolymphatic tumors and testicular cancers. The fact that latent periods for testicular cancer were very short, for hematolymphatic tumors longer and solid tumors still longer suggests a coherent and biologically plausible pattern of latency in relation to the onset of exposure to electromagnetic fields and other agents.

Limitations (according to author): The case series is based on relatively small numbers. Exposure was assessed by interview. No measurements were conducted and other electromagnetic field sources such as mobile phones were not included.


(Study character: epidemiological study, case series)


Study funded by

■not stated/none

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■Groves FD et al. (2002): Cancer in Korean war navy technicians: mortality survey after 40 years.
■Richter ED et al. (2002): Brain cancer with induction periods of less than 10 years in young military...
■Richter E et al. (2000): Cancer in radar technicians exposed to radiofrequency/microwave radiation:...
■Goldsmith JR (1997): Epidemiologic evidence relevant to radar (microwave) effects.
■Szmigielski S (1996): Cancer morbidity in subjects occupationally exposed to high frequency...
■Robinette CD et al. (1980): Effects upon health of occupational exposure

Voor het origineel zie:
www.emf-portal.de/viewer.php?l=e&aid=19536 .

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