Magnetic field exposure and long-term survival among children with leukaemia

Abstract

We examined the association between magnetic field (MF) exposure and survival among children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treated at 51 Pediatric Oncology Group centres between 1996 and 2001. Of 1672 potentially eligible children under treatment, 482 (29%) participated and personal 24-h MF measurements were obtained from 412 participants. A total of 386 children with ALL and 361 with B-precursor ALL were included in the analysis of event-free survival (time from diagnosis to first treatment failure, relapse, secondary malignancy, or death) and overall survival. After adjustment for risk group and socioeconomic status, the event-free survival hazard ratio (HR) for children with measurements X0.3 mT was 1.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.8, 4.9), compared to o0.1 mT. For survival, elevated HRs were found for children exposed to X0.3 mT (multivariate HR ¼ 4.5, 95% CI 1.5 -13.8) but based on only four deaths among 19 children. While risk was increased among children with exposures above 0.3 mT, the small numbers limited inferences for this finding.

Exposure to Magnetic Fields and Survival after Diagnosis of Childhood Leukemia: A German Cohort Study

“…In conclusion this study's results are broadly consistent with Foliart et al (3) in that poorer survival among childhood ALL patients occurred in children in the higher exposure categories. However, the HRs here were seen at lower field levels than in the U.S. study.…”

Magnetic field exposure and prognostic factors in childhood leukemia

“…Our study addressed two questions: (1) does exposure to MF influence particular chromosomal rearrangements or other leukemia characteristics detected at the time of diagnosis that predict relapse and poor survival; and (2) is exposure to MF an independent factor in long-term survival? Results of the survival analysis have been published, and while we report poorer survival among children in the highest MF exposure category, the small numbers limited inferences for this finding [Foliart et al, 2006]. We now report the relationship between MF exposure and leukemia prognostic factors assessed at diagnosis.…”

“…Twenty-nine per cent (482/1672) of all eligible children who were being treated on POG therapeutic protocols enrolled onto this study. Details of the methods have been published [Foliart et al, 2001[Foliart et al, , 2002[Foliart et al, , 2006.…”

Exploring exposure–response for magnetic fields and childhood leukemia

“…Completion of the exposure assessment protocol with return of viable data decreased during annual serial monitoring: 412 children completed the first monitoring, 304 completed a second measurement, and 134 completed a third measurement. Following the original publication, we include data on 386 children (Foliart et al, 2006).…”

“…The largest database of personal 24-h magnetic field measurements in children was available from a survival study of children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the ''promotion'' study (Foliart et al, 2006). Magnetic field exposure assessment was initiated after the child completed the initial induction therapy (usually 4 weeks from the start of therapy) and while the child was undergoing consolidation (intensification) therapy as an outpatient.…”