Exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields from broadcast transmitters and risk of childhood cancer: A census-based cohort study

American Journal of Epidemiology

Volumn 179, Issue 7, 2014, Pages 843-851

  Hauri, Dimitri D ^a,b   Spycher, Ben ^c   Huss, Anke ^d   Zimmermann, Frank ^e   Grotzer, Michael ^f   Von Der Weid, Nicolas ^g   Spoerri, Adrian ^c   Kuehni, Claudia E ^c   Röösli, Martin ^a,b  

^a SWISS TROPICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE   (Switzerland)

^b UNIVERSITY OF BASEL   (Switzerland)

^c UNIVERSITY OF BERN   (Switzerland)

^d UTRECHT UNIVERSITY   (Netherlands)

^e UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL BASEL   (Switzerland)

^f UNIVERSITY CHILDREN S HOSPITAL   (Switzerland)

^g UNIVERSITY CHILDREN S HOSPITAL   (Switzerland)

Author keywords

broadcast transmitters; central nervous system tumors; childhood leukemia; childhood neoplasms; electromagnetic fields; radio waves

Indexed keywords

CANCER; CHILD HEALTH; COHORT ANALYSIS; ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD; FREQUENCY ANALYSIS; NUMERICAL MODEL; POLLUTION EXPOSURE; RADIO WAVE; RISK FACTOR; TUMOR;

ADOLESCENT; ARTICLE; CANCER INCIDENCE; CANCER RISK; CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM TUMOR; CHILDHOOD CANCER; CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA; ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD; FOLLOW UP; HUMAN; MAJOR CLINICAL STUDY; RADIOFREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD; TELECOMMUNICATION;

SWITZERLAND;

BROADCAST TRANSMITTERS; CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM TUMORS; CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA; CHILDHOOD NEOPLASMS; ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS; RADIO WAVES;

ADOLESCENT; CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM NEOPLASMS; CHILD; CHILD, PRESCHOOL; ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE; FEMALE; HUMANS; INCIDENCE; INFANT; LEUKEMIA; MALE; NEOPLASMS, RADIATION-INDUCED; POISSON DISTRIBUTION; PROPORTIONAL HAZARDS MODELS; PROSPECTIVE STUDIES; RADIO WAVES; REGISTRIES; RISK ASSESSMENT; SPATIAL ANALYSIS; SWITZERLAND; TIME FACTORS;

EID: 84896945647     PISSN: 00029262     EISSN: 14766256     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwt442     Document Type: Article

References (43)

1. Ahlbom A, Green A, Kheifets L, et al. Epidemiology of health effects of radiofrequency exposure. Environ Health Perspect. 2004;112(17):1741-1754.
2. Schüz J, Ahlbom A. Exposure to electromagnetic fields and the risk of childhood leukaemia: a review. Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2008;132(2):202-211.
3. Baan R, Grosse Y, Lauby-Secretan B, et al. Carcinogenicity of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. Lancet Oncol. 2011; 12(7):624-626.
4. Beekhuizen J, Vermeulen R, Kromhout H, et al. Geospatial modelling of electromagnetic fields from mobile phone base stations. Sci Total Environ. 2013;445-446:202-209.
5. Frei P, Mohler E, Bürgi A, et al. Classification of personal exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) for epidemiological research: evaluation of different exposure assessment methods. Environ Int. 2010;36(7): 714-720.
6. Dolk H, Shaddick G, Walls P, et al. Cancer incidence near radio and television transmitters in Great Britain. I. Sutton Coldfield transmitter. Am J Epidemiol. 1997;145(1):1-9.
7. Hocking B, Gordon IR, Grain HL, et al. Cancer incidence and mortality and proximity to TV towers. Med J Aust. 1996; 165(11-12):601-605.
8. Michelozzi P, Capon A, Kirchmayer U, et al. Adult and childhood leukemia near a high-power radio station in Rome, Italy. Am J Epidemiol. 2002;155(12):1096-1103.
9. Park SK, Ha M, Im HJ. Ecological study on residences in the vicinity of AM radio broadcasting towers and cancer death: preliminary observations in Korea. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2004;77(6):387-394.
10. Cooper D, Hemming K, Saunders P. Re: "Cancer incidence near radio and television transmitters in Great Britain. I. Sutton Coldfield transmitter; II. All high power transmitters" [letter]. Am J Epidemiol. 2001;153(2):202-205.
11. Dolk H, Elliott P, Shaddick G, et al. Cancer incidence near radio and television transmitters in Great Britain. II. All high power transmitters. Am J Epidemiol. 1997;145(1): 10-17.
12. McKenzie DR, Yin Y, Morrell S. Childhood incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and exposure to broadcast radiation in Sydney-a second look. Aust N Z J Public Health. 1998;22(3 suppl):360-367.
13. Ha M, Im H, Kim BC, et al. Five authors reply [letter]. Am J Epidemiol. 2008;167(7):884-885.
14. Ha M, Im H, Lee M, et al. Radio-frequency radiation exposure from AM radio transmitters and childhood leukemia and brain cancer. Am J Epidemiol. 2007;166(3):270-279.
15. Merzenich H, Schmiedel S, Bennack S, et al. Childhood leukemia in relation to radio frequency electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of TV and radio broadcast transmitters. Am J Epidemiol. 2008;168(10):1169-1178.
16. Kuehni CE, Rueegg CS, Michel G, et al. Cohort profile: the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Int J Epidemiol. 2012;41(6):1553-1564.
17. Bopp M, Spoerri A, Zwahlen M, et al. Cohort profile: the Swiss National Cohort-a longitudinal study of 6.8 million people. Int J Epidemiol. 2009;38(2):379-384.
18. Spoerri A, Zwahlen M, Egger M, et al. The Swiss National Cohort: a unique database for national and international researchers. Int J Public Health. 2010;55(4):239-242.
19. Renaud A. Coverage Estimation for the Swiss Population Census 2000. Neuchâtel, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Statistical Office; 2004.
20. Steliarova-Foucher E, Stiller C, Lacour B, et al. International Classification of Childhood Cancer, Third Edition. Cancer. 2005;103(7):1457- 1467.
21. Spycher BD, Feller M, Zwahlen M, et al. Childhood cancer and nuclear power plants in Switzerland: a census-based cohort study. Int J Epidemiol. 2011;40(5):1247-1260.
22. Grosskopf R. Prediction of urban propagation loss. IEEE Trans Antennas Propag. 1994;42(5):658-665.
23. International Telecommunication Union. Recommendation ITU-R P.526-10. Propagation by Diffraction. Geneva, Switzerland: Swiss International Telecommunication Union; 2007. (http://www.itu.int/dms-pubrec/itu-r/rec/p/R-REC- P.526-10-200702-S!!PDF-E.pdf). (Accessed December 12, 2012).
24. Rybach L, Bächler D, Bucher B, et al. Radiation doses of Swiss population from external sources. J Environ Radioact. 2002; 62(3):277-286.
25. Swiss Federal Office of Topography. Geodetic Points (FPDS). Wabern, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Office of Topography; 2010. (http://www.swisstopo. admin.ch/internet/swisstopo/en/home/apps/fpds.html). (Accessed December 14, 2012).
26. 2 and Benzene Ambient Concentrations in Switzerland 2000 to 2020. (Environmental Studies document no. 188). Bern, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Office for the Environment; 2004.
27. 2 Ambient Concentrations in Switzerland: Modelling Results for 2005, 2010, 2015. (Environmental Studies document no. 1123). Bern, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Office for the Environment; 2011.
28. Hauri DD, Huss A, Zimmermann F, et al. A prediction model for assessing residential radon concentration in Switzerland. J Environ Radioact. 2012;112:83-89.
29. Hauri D, Spycher B, Huss A, et al. Domestic radon exposure and risk of childhood cancer: a prospective census-based cohort study. Environ Health Perspect. 2013;121(10):1239-1244.
30. Mantiply ED, Pohl KR, Poppell SW, et al. Summary of measured radiofrequency electric and magnetic fields (10 kHz to 30 GHz) in the general and work environment. Bioelectromagnetics. 1997;18(8):563-577.
31. Khalade A, Jaakkola MS, Pukkala E, et al. Exposure to benzene at work and the risk of leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ Health. 2010;9:31.
32. Kendall GM, Little MP, Wakeford R, et al. A record-based case-control study of natural background radiation and the incidence of childhood leukaemia and other cancers in Great Britain during 1980-2006. Leukemia. 2013;27(1):3-9.
33. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Non-Ionizing Radiation, Part 1: Static and Extremely Low-Frequency (ELF) Electric and Magnetic Fields. (IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, vol. 80). Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2002.
34. Greenland S. Modeling and variable selection in epidemiologic analysis. Am J Public Health. 1989;79(3):340-349.
35. Frei P, Mohler E, Neubauer G, et al. Temporal and spatial variability of personal exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields. Environ Res. 2009;109(6):779-785.
36. Repacholi MH. Low-level exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields: health effects and research needs. Bioelectromagnetics. 1998;19(1):1-19.
37. Teepen JC, van Dijck JA. Impact of high electromagnetic field levels on childhood leukemia incidence. Int J Cancer. 2012; 131(4):769-778.
38. Elliott P, Toledano MB, Bennett J, et al. Mobile phone base stations and early childhood cancers: case-control study. BMJ. 2010;340:c3077.
39. McKinney PA. Central nervous system tumours in children: epidemiology and risk factors. Bioelectromagnetics. 2005;(suppl 7):S60-S68.
40. Packer RJ, MacDonald T, Vezina G. Central nervous system tumors. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2008;55(1):121-145.
41. Aydin D, Feychting M, Schuz J, et al. Mobile phone use and brain tumors in children and adolescents: a multicenter case-control study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011;103(16): 1264-1276.
42. Aydin D, Feychting M, Schüz J, et al. Childhood brain tumours and use of mobile phones: comparison of a case-control study with incidence data. Environ Health. 2012;11:35.
43. Moulder JE, Foster KR, Erdreich LS, et al. Mobile phones, mobile phone base stations and cancer: a review. Int J Radiat Biol. 2005;81(3):189-203.