Radio frequency electromagnetic fields: Cancer, mutagenesis, and genotoxicity

Abstract

We present critiques of epidemiologic studies and experimental investigations, published mostly in peer‐reviewed journals, on cancer and related effects from exposure to nonionizing electromagnetic fields in the nominal frequency range of 3 kHz to 300 GHz of interest to Subcommittee 4 (SC4) of the International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety (ICES). The major topics discussed are presented under the headings Epidemiologic and Other Findings on Human Exposure, Mammals Exposed In Vivo, Mammalian Live Tissues and Cell Preparations Exposed In Vitro, and Mutagenesis and Genotoxicity in Microorganisms and Fruit Flies. Under each major topic, we present minireviews of papers on various specific endpoints investigated. The section on Epidemiologic and Other Findings on Human Exposure is divided into two subsections, the first on possible carcinogenic effects of exposure from emitters not in physical contact with the populations studied, for example, transmitting antennas and other devices. Discussed in the second subsection are studies of postulated carcinogenic effects from use of mobile phones, with prominence given to brain tumors from use of cellular and cordless telephones in direct physical contact with an ear of each subject. In both subsections, some investigations yielded positive findings, others had negative findings, including papers directed toward experimentally verifying positive findings, and both were reported in a few instances. Further research on various important aspects may resolve such differences. Overall, however, the preponderance of published epidemiologic and experimental findings do not support the supposition that in vivo or in vitro exposures to such fields are carcinogenic. Bioelectromagnetics Supplement 6:S74–S100, 2003. Published 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Mobile phones and health: A literature overview

“…There are more than 100 studies investigating genotoxic effects of microwave radiation and several reviews of these studies are available [11,28,48,69,93,101]. Most of the studies were hazard identification studies and focussed on the possibility of gene mutation, chromosome alterations, induction of DNA repair processes and cell transformation assays [11,48,69].…”

“…Most of the studies were hazard identification studies and focussed on the possibility of gene mutation, chromosome alterations, induction of DNA repair processes and cell transformation assays [11,48,69]. Although the majority of these studies did not demonstrate genotoxic effects, there have been some positive results.…”

“…Others were attributable to deficiencies of the experimental design, which may have lead to sporadic positive results. Although the existence of genotoxic effects can not completely be ruled out, the weight of evidence suggests that there is no significant risk associated with non-thermal microwave exposure [11,48,69,71]. The investigation of genotoxic effects was also aim of the REFLEX-project which was initiated within the framework of the European Community.…”

“…Studies on military and civilian people included for example investigation of radar laboratory workers, employees of the American embassy building in Moscow, which were subjected to microwave exposure between 1953 and 1976, and other occupational groups dealing with microwave radiation [24,25,48,71]. In addition, incident rates for leukemia and solid tumors were investigated near television and radio transmitters.…”

“…Meanwhile, several epidemiological studies dedicated to microwave exposure from mobile phones are available [2,20,40,43,48,52,56,73,84]. Most of the studies focus on brain tumors (Table 3).…”