ABSTRACT
CONTENTS 6.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 228 6.2 Leukemia............................................................................................................................ 229
6.2.1 Background ............................................................................................................ 229 6.2.2 Childhood Leukemia............................................................................................ 229
6.2.2.1 Residential Exposures........................................................................... 229 6.2.2.2 Electric Appliance Exposure................................................................ 233 6.2.2.3 Parental Exposure ................................................................................. 234
6.2.3 Adult Leukemia .................................................................................................... 234 6.2.3.1 Residential Exposures........................................................................... 234 6.2.3.2 Electric Appliance Exposure................................................................ 234 6.2.3.3 Occupational Studies ............................................................................ 234
6.2.4 Summary ................................................................................................................ 235 6.3 Brain Cancer ...................................................................................................................... 235
6.3.1 Background ............................................................................................................ 235 6.3.2 Childhood Brain Cancer ...................................................................................... 235
6.3.2.1 Residential Exposures........................................................................... 235 6.3.2.2 Electric Appliance Exposure................................................................ 237 6.3.2.3 Parental Exposure ................................................................................. 237
6.3.3 Adult Brain Cancer............................................................................................... 237 6.3.3.1 Residential Exposures........................................................................... 237 6.3.3.2 Occupational Studies ............................................................................ 238
6.3.4 Summary ................................................................................................................ 238 6.4 Breast Cancer..................................................................................................................... 238
6.4.1 Background ............................................................................................................ 238 6.4.2 Female Breast Cancer ........................................................................................... 239
6.4.2.1 Residential Exposures........................................................................... 239 6.4.2.2 Electric Blankets..................................................................................... 239 6.4.2.3 Occupational Studies ............................................................................ 239
6.4.3 Male Breast Cancer ............................................................................................... 240 6.4.3.1 Occupational Studies ............................................................................ 240
6.4.4 Summary ................................................................................................................ 240 6.5 Lung Cancer ...................................................................................................................... 240 6.6 Other Cancers.................................................................................................................... 241 6.7 Reproductive Outcomes .................................................................................................. 241
6.7.1 Maternal Exposure................................................................................................ 241
6.7.1.1 Video Display Terminals .................................................................. 241 6.7.1.2 Electric Blankets and Heated Beds.................................................. 241 6.7.1.3 Residential and Occupational Exposure ........................................ 241
6.7.2 Paternal Exposure ............................................................................................. 245 6.8 Cardiovascular Disease .................................................................................................. 245 6.9 Neurodegenerative Disease........................................................................................... 246
6.9.1 Alzheimer’s Disease.......................................................................................... 246 6.9.2 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ........................................................................ 246 6.9.3 Parkinson’s Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases ................... 249
6.10 Depression and Suicide.................................................................................................. 251 6.10.1 Depression .......................................................................................................... 251 6.10.2 Suicide ................................................................................................................. 251
6.11 Discussion......................................................................................................................... 251 6.11.1 Challenges .......................................................................................................... 251 6.11.2 Outcome.............................................................................................................. 251 6.11.3 Exposure ............................................................................................................. 254 6.11.4 Interpretation ..................................................................................................... 254
6.12 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................... 255 References ................................................................................................................................... 255
Given the ubiquitous nature of extremely low-frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs), there is concern regarding their potential to adversely affect the health. Numerous health effects have been studied in relation to the EMF exposure: cancer, reproductive disorders, as well as neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. Cancer, especially childhood cancer, has received the most attention. A number of reviews on the potential of EMF to cause damage to health have been
published [1-4]. The general consensus is that cellular effects do not occur with exposures below 100 mT. Also, except for a very few animal studies that suggest adverse effect of EMF, these studies have been largely negative. The EMFs are imperceptible, ubiquitous, have multiple sources, and can vary greatly
over time and short distances [5]. In the absence of a biological mechanism to implicate one or more specific field parameters, the exposure assessment of EMF has varied over the years. The epidemiologic studies in the last decade have employed improved exposure assessment methods. Most of the epidemiologic studies discussed below use the timeweighted average (TWA) measurements to characterize the exposure. Furthermore, with the technological advances and increased sample size studies, the higher exposures, i.e., >0.4 mT, are being explored. Although the epidemiologic evidence is not conclusive, it is generally agreed that the possibility of a causal association between the EMF and the adverse health outcomes cannot be excluded and that the epidemiologic studies of childhood leukemia provide the strongest evidence of an association. The epidemiologic evidence is a major contributor to the understanding of the potential
effects of EMF on health. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified EMF as a Group 2B or possible human carcinogen [1]; this classification was mostly based on the consistent epidemiologic evidence of an association between exposure to these fields and childhood leukemia and of laboratory studies in animals and cells which were not supportive of exposure to EMF causing cancer. Although the body of evidence is always considered as a whole, on the basis of the weight of evidence approach
and Medical Aspects of Electromagnetic
and incorporating different lines of scientific enquiry, epidemiologic evidence, as the most relevant, is given the maximum weight. The epidemiologic data is routinely critically assessed to shed light on the potential of
EMF to cause harm to health. This chapter provides an up-to-date review of the epidemiologic evidence and accompanying methodological concepts.
