Leukaemia in Workers Exposed to Electrical and Magnetic Fields

Wright, W.L.; Peters, JohnM.; Mack, ThomasM.

doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(82)92814-8

Cited by 111 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The leukaemia cases are a virtually complete population sample of incident cases from a well-defined territory and (Milham, 1982;Wright et al, 1982;Coleman et al, 1983;McDowall, 1983), and it seemed reasonable to expect that if these observations represented a specific causal association, this might be reflected in a comparison between leukaemia and other cancers in a case-control study. A random sample of such controls was also readily and cheaply available, closely matched to the cases for age, sex, district of residence and year of diagnosis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leukaemia and residence near electricity transmission equipment: a case-control study

Coleman

Bell²,

Taylor³

et al. 1989

Br J Cancer

121

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Summary A population-based case-control study of leukaemia and residential proximity to electricity supply equipment has been carried out in south-east England. A total of 771 leukaemias was studied, matched for age, sex, year of diagnosis and district of residence to 1,432 controls registered with a solid tumour excluding lymphoma; 231 general population controls aged 18 and over from one part of the study area were also used. The potential for residential exposure to power frequency magnetic fields from power-lines and transformer substations was assessed indirectly from the distance, type and loading of the equipment near each subject's residence. Only 0.6% of subjects lived within 100 m of an overhead power-line, and the risk of leukaemia relative to cancer controls for residence within 100 m was 1.45 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54-3.88); within 50 m the relative risk was 2.0 but with a wider confidence interval (95% CI 0.4-9.0). Over 40% of subjects lived within 100 m of a substation, for which the relative risk of leukaemia was 0.99. Residence within 25 m carried a risk of 1.3 (95% CI 0.8-2.0). Weighted exposure indices incorporating measures of the current load carried by the substations did not materially alter these risks estimates. For persons aged less than 18 the relative risk of leukaemia from residence within 50 m of a substation was higher than in adults (RR = 1.5, 95% CI 0.7-3.4).Epidemiological evidence suggests a possible leukaemogenic effect in man from exposure to electromagnetic fields in the extremely low frequency range (ELF, 0-300 Hz), which includes the usual public electricity power supply frequencies (50-60 Hz). Three case-control studies have shown a two-to three-fold increase in leukaemia risk in persons who lived close to electricity power-lines and supply equipment (Wertheimer & Leeper, 1979Savitz et al., 1988). Two studies showed no association (Tomenius, 1986;Severson et al., 1988), although the study by Tomenius showed a two-fold risk of all cancers. The subjects' exposure to ELF fields was categorised indirectly in these studies by the type and proximity of electricity transmission and distribution equipment variously within 40-150m of the subject's home. In addition, ELF magnetic field intensities were measured directly at all addresses in one study (Tomenius, 1986), and at most addresses in the two recent studies (Severson et al., 1988;Savitz et al., 1988).A number of studies of men likely to be exposed occupationally to power frequency electromagnetic fields have also suggested a raised risk of leukaemia, especially acute myeloid leukaemia (see Aldrich & Easterly, 1987;Savitz & Calle, 1987;Coleman & Beral, 1988). Interpretation of the evidence is made difficult by the complexity and ubiquity of human exposure to man-made ELF fields in modern society, and by the difficulty of obtaining satisfactory retrospective measures of this exposure. The National Research Council (NRC, 1986) and the reviews cited have emphasised the need for further human cancer studies, particular...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leukaemia and residence near electricity transmission equipment: a case-control study

Coleman

Bell²,

Taylor³

et al. 1989

Br J Cancer

121

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“…Twelve of these looked specifically at leukemia risks (25,26,(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37). With the exception ofone study (25), these all found elevated leukemia risks in at least certain electrical occupations.…”

Section: Consistencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields and cancer: the epidemiologic evidence.

Bates

1991

Environ Health Perspect

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This paper reviews the epidemiologic evidence that low frequency electromagnetic fields generated by altating current may be a cause ofcancer. Studies examining residential exposures ofchildren and adults and studies ofelectrical and electronics workers are reviewed. Using conventional epidemiologic criteria for inferring causal associations, including strength and consistency of the relationship, biological plausibility, and the possibility ofbias as an explanation, it is concluded that the evidence is strongly suggestive that such nrdiation is carcinogenic. The evidence is strongest for brain andcentral nervous system cancers in electrical workers and children. Weaker evidence supports an association with leukemia in electrical workers. Some evidence alsoeists for an association with mdawnoma in electrial workes Failure to fnd consistent evidence of a link between residential exposures and adult cancers may be attributable to exposure misclassification. Studies so far have used imperfect surrogates for any true biologically effective magnetic field exposure. The resulting exposure misclassification has produced relative risk estimates that understate any true risk.

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“…Um pouco mais tarde, essa questão também seria estudada por Milhan 50 com relação à exposição ocupacional. A partir desses trabalhos, um número crescente de estudos epidemiológicos e experimentais têm examinado as possíveis relações entre câncer e CEM em populações humanas, animais de laboratório e células em cultura 1,3,4,6,8,12,18,24,58,61,62,63,64,65,68,74,76,81,85 .…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

“…Essas dificuldades, que persistem ainda hoje, apesar dos avanços obtidos na área de medições de campos elétricos e magnéticos, levaram à utilização de medidas indiretas em muitos estudos epidemiológicos. A medida indireta mais utilizada, nos estudos ocupacionais, tem sido a ocupação, considerada em termos de atividades que envolvem exposição à eletricidade 3,26,34,48,54,56,75,76,77,82,85 .…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Mortalidade por câncer em trabalhadores de companhia geradora de eletricidade do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Mattos

Koifman

1996

Rev. Saúde Pública

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ResumoRealizou-se a análise exploratória de um conjunto de atestados de óbito de eletricitários do Estado de São Paulo (Brasil), através da Razão de Mortalidade Proporcional (PMR) e da Razão de Mortalidade Proporcional por Câncer (PCMR). Foi observado um discreto excesso de mortalidade por todas as localizações de câncer (PMR 1,11; IC 95% 0,91-1,35), estatisticamente não significativo. Encontrou-se elevação da PCMR, estatisticamente significativa, para câncer de laringe (PCMR 2,04; IC 95% 1,05-4,20). Um excesso de óbitos, embora sem significação estatística, foi observado para cavidade oral/faringe, próstata, bexiga, cérebro e doença de Hodgkin. A análise por categorias de exposição estimada a campos magnéticos mostrou PCMRs persistentemente elevadas para cancêr de bexiga (PCMR 4,17; IC 95% 1,35-9,72), cérebro (PCMR 3,77; IC 95% 1,02-9,65) e doença de Hodgkin (PCMR 5,55; IC 95% 1,14-16,21), no grupo com exposição provavelmente alta. Uma comparação com a mortalidade por câncer, de um grupo de trabalhadores petroquímicos, mostrou mortalidade elevada por neoplasma de laringe (PCMR 3,51; IC 95% 1,75-6,28) e bexiga (PCMR 7,53; IC 95% 3,02-15,51). Para tumores de cérebro, observou-se PCMR de 0,74 (IC 95% 0,61

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Leukaemia in Workers Exposed to Electrical and Magnetic Fields

Cited by 111 publications

References 10 publications

Leukaemia and residence near electricity transmission equipment: a case-control study

Leukaemia and residence near electricity transmission equipment: a case-control study

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields and cancer: the epidemiologic evidence.

Mortalidade por câncer em trabalhadores de companhia geradora de eletricidade do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

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