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Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!hecate.umd.edu!cs.umd.edu!info.usuhs.mil!news.monroe.army.mil!wrdiss1.robins.af.mil!gatech!4.1.16.34.MISMATCH!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsspool.doit.wisc.edu!wiscnews.wiscnet.net!admin-one.radbio.mcw.edu!user
From: jmoulder@its.mcw.edu (John Moulder)
Newsgroups: sci.med.physics,sci.answers,news.answers
Subject: Powerlines & Cancer FAQs
Supersedes: <jmoulder-090597.1@admin-one.radbio.mcw.edu>
Followup-To: sci.med.physics
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 1997 13:43:33 -0500
Organization: Medical College of Wisconsin
Lines: 255
Approved: new-answers-request@MIT.edu
Expires: 1 October 1997 00:00:00 GMT
Message-ID: <jmoulder-102097.1@admin-one.radbio.mcw.edu>
Reply-To: jmoulder@its.mcw.edu (John Moulder)
NNTP-Posting-Host: admin-one.radbio.mcw.edu
Summary: Introduction to a series of Q&As on the connection between
power lines, electrical occupations and cancer: table of contents,
ways to access the FAQ, recent changes, acknowledgments, copyright.
Keywords: power lines, magnetic fields, cancer, EMF, non-ionizing
radiation, FAQ
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu sci.med.physics:6786 sci.answers:7266 news.answers:115106
Archive-name: medicine/powerlines-cancer-faq
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 20-Oct-97
Version: 5.2.0
URL: http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/toc.html
Copyright: (c) 1993-1997 John E. Moulder & The Medical College of Wisconsin
Maintainer: John E. Moulder <jmoulder@its.mcw.edu>
** Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Power-Frequency Fields (EMF) and Cancer
**Summary**
Q&As on the connection between power lines, electrical occupations and
cancer: discussion of the biophysics of interactions with EM sources,
summaries of the laboratory and human studies, information on standards,
and an annotated bibliography.
Most of the concern about power lines ("EMF") and cancer stems from
studies of people living near power lines (Questions 12 through 14) and
people working in "electrical" occupations (Question 15). Some of these
studies appear to show an association between exposure to power-frequency
magnetic fields and the incidence of cancer.
However, epidemiological studies done in recent years show little evidence
that power lines are associated with an increase in cancer (Question 19),
laboratory studies have shown little evidence of a link between
power-frequency fields and cancer (Qeustions 16 and 17), and a connection
between power line fields and cancer is biophysically implausible
(Question 18).
A recent review by a prominent group of scientists at the U.S. National
Academy of Science concluded that: "No conclusive and consistent evidence
shows that exposures to residential electric and magnetic fields produce
cancer, adverse neurobehavioral effects, or reproductive and developmental
effects."(Question 19E).
Moreover, the largest study of childhood leukemia and power lines ever
done has just reported that it could find no evidence for an association
of power lines with childhood leukemia (Questions 19H).
Overall, most scientists consider the evidence for a connection between
power lines and cancer to be weak and unconvincing (Questions 20, 22 and
23).
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The full version of this FAQ is now available only on the web at:
http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/toc.html
This version contains only the TOC and a list of recent revisions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Preguntas y respuestas sobre lφneas electricas y cancer esta disponible en
espanol:
http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/lineas-electricas-cancer-FAQ/toc.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------
There are two related FAQs:
FAQs about Cell Phone Base Antennas and Human Health
http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/cell-phone-health-FAQ/toc.html
Static Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer FAQs
http://www.mcw.edu/gcrc/cop/static-fields-cancer-FAQ/toc.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------
** Revisions Notes
(v5.2, Oct-97):
- Q1 updated and provided with more internal links.
- A new meta-analysis of the epidemiological studies of leukemia and
residence near power lines [B12].
- A table describing tests for genotoxic activity added to Q16.
- Three new studies of genotoxic activity in cell culture [G62, G63, G65],
all of which are negative, added to Q16C.
- A new section on pulsed fields and genotoxicity added to Q16C.
- Two new cell transformation studies [G62, G64], both negative, added to Q16D.
- Two new studies of epigenetic activity in cell culture [G63, G65], one
of which [G63] shows some evidence for such activity, added to Q16F.
- Two new melatonin studies [H34, H35], neither showing effects in
animals, were added to Q17C.
- Two new studies of leukemia and occupational exposure were added; one
shows an association [D28], and the other does not [D29].
- A new negative study of brain cancer and occupational exposure [D28].
- A new negative study of lung cancer and occupational exposure to
power-frequency fields and to pulsed electromagnetic fields [D30] was
added to Q19D.
- A new review of exposure standards and their biological basis [M8].
- An additional study showing that ionizing radiation levels are not
elevated around power lines [F23].
(v5.1, Aug-97):
- Technical errors in the EM spectrum figure corrected.
- Provided definitions of additional technical or "US-specific" terminology.
- Added detailed discussion of a large new study of power lines and
childhood leukemia [F35, F36] as Q19H.
- Modified Q12, Q13, Q14, Q20A, Q20B to take the above study into account.
- A new, and negative, lymphoma promotion study [G61] was added to Q19E.
- An additional point was added to the breast cancer promotion figure in Q19E.
- Added a new review of possible mechanisms whereby environmental
power-frequency fields could have effects on biological systems [F23].
- The pro and con section has been updated (Q22 and Q23).
---------------------------------------------------------------------
** Table of Contents
1. Is there a concern about power lines and cancer?
2. What is the difference between the electromagnetic (EM) energy
associated with power lines and other forms of EM energy such as
microwaves or x-rays?
3. Why do different types of EM sources produce different biological
effects?
4. What is difference between EM radiation and EM fields?
5. Do power lines produce EM radiation?
6. How do ionizing EM sources cause biological effects?
7. How do RF and MW sources cause biological effects?
8. How do the power-frequency EM fields cause biological effects?
9. Do non-ionizing EM sources cause non-thermal as well as thermal
effects?
10. What sort of power-frequency fields are common in residences and
workplaces?
11. Can power-frequency fields in homes and workplaces be reduced?
12. What is known about the relationship between power line corridors
and cancer rates?
13. How big is the "cancer risk" associated with living next to a power
line?
14. How close do you have to be to a power line to be considered exposed
to power-frequency magnetic fields?
15. What is known about the relationship between electrical occupations
and cancer rates?
16. Do laboratory studies indicate that power-frequency fields can cause
cancer?
a. Do power-frequency fields show genotoxic activity in humans?
b. Do power-frequency fields show genotoxic activity in animals?
c. Do power-frequency fields show genotoxic activity in cell
culture?
d. Do power-frequency magnetic fields cause or enhance neoplastic
cell transformation?
e. Are power-frequency magnetic fields cancer promoters?
f. Do power-frequency magnetic fields enhance the effects of other
genotoxic agents?
17. Do laboratory studies indicate that power-frequency fields have any
biological effects that might be relevant to cancer?
a. How do lab studies of the effects of power-frequency fields on
cell and tumor growth relate to the question of cancer risk?
b. How do lab studies of the effects of power-frequency fields on
immune function relate to the question of cancer risk?
c. How do lab studies of the effects of power-frequency fields on
melatonin relate to the question of cancer risk?
18. Do power-frequency fields show any reproducible biological effects in
laboratory studies?
a. Do power-frequency fields of the intensity encountered in
occupational and residential settings show reproducible
biological effects?
b. Are there known mechanisms by which power-frequency fields of the
intensity encountered in occupational and residential settings
could cause biological effects?
c. Haven't some new mechanisms been proposed that could explain how
power-frequency magnetic fields could cause biological effects?
d. Could the presence of transients or harmonics in power-frequency
fields provide a biophysical mechanism for biological effects?
19. What about the "new studies" showing a link between power-frequency
fields and cancer?
a. What about the new "Swedish" study showing a link between power
lines and cancer?
b. What about the new studies showing a link between occupational
exposure to power-frequency fields and cancer?
c. What about the new studies showing a link between electrical
occupation and breast cancer?
d. What about the new studies showing a link between pulsed electric
fields and lung cancer?
e. What about the new studies linking the use of electrical
appliances with cancer?
f. What about Sweden's/Denmark's decision to regulate fields power
line fields?
g. What about the study showing that it is the interaction between
power- frequency fields and the Earth static field that causes
cancer?
h. What about the new NCI study showing no link between power lines
and childhood leukemia?
20. What criteria do scientists use to evaluate all the laboratory and
epidemiologic studies of power-frequency magnetic fields and cancer?
a. Criterion One: How strong is the association between exposure to
power-frequency fields and the risk of cancer?
b. Criterion Two: How consistent are the studies of associations
between exposure to power-frequency fields and the risk of
cancer?
c. Criterion Three: Is there a dose-response relationship between
exposure to power-frequency fields and the risk of cancer?
d. Criterion Four: Is there laboratory evidence for an association
between exposure to power-frequency fields and the risk of
cancer?
e. Criterion Five: Are there plausible biological mechanisms that
suggest an association between exposure to power-frequency fields
and the risk of cancer?
21. If exposure to power-frequency magnetic fields does not explain the
residential and occupations studies which show increased cancer
incidence, what other factors could?
a. Could problems with dose assessment affect the validity of the
epidemiologic studies of power-frequency fields and cancer?
b. Are there other cancer risk factors that could be causing a false
association between power-frequency fields and cancer?
c. Could the epidemiologic studies of power-frequency fields and
cancer be biased by the methods used to select control groups?
d. Could analysis of the epidemiologic studies of power-frequency
fields and cancer be skewed by publication bias?
e. Could analysis of the epidemiologic studies of power-frequency
fields and cancer be biased by multiple-comparison artifacts?
22. What is the strongest evidence for a connection between power-
frequency fields and cancer?
23. What is the strongest evidence against a connection between power-
frequency fields and cancer?
24. What studies are needed to resolve the cancer-EMF issue?
25. Is there any evidence that power-frequency fields cause any human
health hazards, such as miscarriages, birth defects or Alzheimer's
disease?
26. What are some good overview articles?
27. Are there exposure guidelines for power-frequency fields?
a. What are there guidelines for power-frequency field exposure of
the general public?
b. What are there guidelines for occupational power-frequency
field exposure?
c. Are there special exposure guidelines for people with cardiac
pacemakers
d. Is a US government agency about to recommend strict limits on
occupational and residential exposure to power-frequency fields?
e. What does the new report from the US National Research Council
say?
28. What effect do power lines have on property values?
29. What equipment do you need to measure power-frequency magnetic
fields?
30. How are power-frequency magnetic fields measured?
31. Do the issues discussed in this FAQ sheet apply to EM fields other
than power-frequency fields?
a. Low-frequency fields other than sinusoidal power-frequency fields
b. Static electric and magnetic fields
c. Radiofrequency and microwave frequencies
32. What about the new study claiming that radon exposure is increased
by the presence of electromagnetic fields.
33. What about the reports that some people are sensitive to (allergic
to) the presence of electromagnetic fields?
34. Should I buy a house next to a power line?
** Annotated Bibliography
1. Recent Reviews of the Biological and Health Effects of Power-
Frequency Fields
2. Reviews of the Epidemiology of Exposure to Power-Frequency Fields
3. Epidemiology of Residential Exposure to Power-Frequency Fields
4. Epidemiology of Occupational Exposure to Power-Frequency Fields
5. Human Studies Related to Power-Frequency Exposure and Cancer
6. Biophysics and Dosimetry of Power-Frequency Fields
7. Laboratory Studies of Power-Frequency Fields and Cancer
8. Laboratory Studies Indirectly Related to Power-Frequency Fields and
Cancer
9. Studies of Power-Frequency Fields and Reproductive Toxicity
10. Reviews of Laboratory Studies of Power-Frequency Fields
11. Miscellaneous Items
12. Regulations and Standards for Ionizing and Non-ionizing EM Sources.