Abstract
Objective: Based on 1,596,959 men and 806,278 women, site-specific cancer incidence during 1971 through 1984 was analyzed in relation to occupational magnetic field exposure. The objective was to explore potential associations for cancer diseases beyond those extensively studied before (leukemia and brain tumors).
Methods: Exposure was assessed from Census information on occupations that were linked to a job exposure matrix based on measurements. In a basic analysis, three levels of exposure were used. In addition, subjects with a more definite low exposure were compared with an aggregate of occupations with more definite exposures.
Results: Observed associations were weak and there were no evident exposure–response relationships. For all cancer, an approximate 10% increase in risk was seen in the medium and high exposure groups. Several types of cancer were associated with exposure among men, including cancer of the colon, biliary passages and liver, larynx and lung, testis, kidney, urinary organs, malignant melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, astrocytoma III–IV. For women, associations were seen for cancer of the lung, breast, corpus uteri, malignant melanoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Conclusions: In the analysis of occupations with a more definite exposure, the most notable finding for men was an increased risk of testicular cancer in young workers, and for women a clear association emerged for cancer of the corpus uteri. The outcome suggests an interaction with the endocrine/immune system.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kheifets LI, Afifi AA, Buffler PA, Zhang ZW, Matkin CC (1997) Occupational electric and magnetic field exposure and leukemia: a meta-analysis. J Occup Environ Med 39: 1074-1091.
Kheifets LI, Afifi AA, Buffler PA, Zhang ZW (1995) Occupational electric and magnetic field exposure and brain cancer: a meta-analysis. J Occup Environ Med 37: 1327-1341.
Matanoski GM, Breysse PN, Elliott EA (1991) Electromagnetic field exposure and male breast cancer (letter). Lancet 337: 737.
Demers PA, Thomas DB, Rosenblatt KA, et al. (1991) Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields and breast cancer in men. Am J Epidemiol 134: 340-347.
Tynes T, Andersen A, Langmark F (1992) Incidence of cancer in Norwegian workers potentially exposed to electromagnetic fields. Am J Epidemiol 136: 81-88.
Loomis DP (1992) Cancer of breast among men in electrical occupations (letter). Lancet 339: 1482-1483.
Guénel P, Raskmark P, Andersen JB, Lynge E (1993) Incidence of cancer in persons with occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields in Denmark. Br J Ind Med 50: 758-764.
Floderus B, Törnqvist S, Stenlund C (1994) Incidence of selected cancers in Swedish railway workers, 1961–79. Cancer Causes Control 5: 189-194.
Rosenbaum PF, Vena JE, Zielezny MA, Michalek AM (1994) Occupational exposures associated with male breast cancer. Am J Epidemiol 139: 30-36.
Thériault G, Goldberg M, Miller AB, et al. (1994) Cancer risks associated with occupational exposure to magnetic fields among electric utility workers in Ontario and Quebec, Canada and France: 1970–1989. Am J Epidemiol 139: 550-572.
Stenlund C, Floderus B (1997) Occupational exposure to magnetic fields in relation to male breast cancer and testicular cancer: a Swedish case-control study. Cancer Causes Control 8: 184-191.
Loomis DP, Savitz DA, Ananth CV (1994) Breast cancer mortality among female electrical workers in the United States. J Natl Cancer Inst 86: 921-925.
Coogan PF, Clapp RW, Newcomb PA, et al. (1996) Occupational exposure to 60-Hertz magnetic fields and risk of breast cancer in women. Epidemiology 7: 459-464.
Vågerö D, Olin R (1983) Incidence of cancer in the electronics industry: using the new Swedish cancer environment registry as a screening instrument. Br J Ind Med 40: 188-192.
Olin R, Vågerö D, Ahlbom A (1985) Mortality experience of electrical engineers. Br J Ind Med 42: 211-212.
Pearce N, Reif J, Fraser J (1989) Case-control studies of cancer in New Zealand electrical workers. Int J Epidemiol 18: 55-59.
Van Den Eeden SK, Weiss NS, Strader CH, Daling JR (1991) Occupation and the occurrence of testicular cancer. Am J Ind Med 19: 327-337.
Törnqvist S, Norell S, Ahlbom A, Knave B (1986) Cancer in the electric power industry. Br J Ind Med 43: 212-213.
Savitz DA, Loomis DP (1995) Magnetic field exposure in relation to leukemia and brain cancer mortality among electric utility workers. Am J Epidemiol 141: 123-134.
Floderus B, Persson T, Stenlund C (1996) Magnetic-field exposures in the workplace: reference distribution and exposures in occupational groups. Int J Occup Environ Health 2: 226-238.
Floderus B, Persson T, Stenlund C, Wennberg A, Öst Å, Knave B (1993) Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields in relation to leukemia and brain tumors: a case-control study in Sweden. Cancer Causes Control 4: 465-476.
National Board of Health and Welfare (1984) Cancer incidence in Sweden 1984. The Swedish Cancer Registry. Stockholm, Sweden.
Muir CS, Nectoux J (1996) International patterns of cancer. In: Schottenfeld D, Fraumeni JF, Eds. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 141-167.
Delpizzo V, Borghesi JL (1995) Exposure measurement errors, risk estimate and statistical power in case-control studies using dichotomous analysis of a continuous exposure variable. Int J Epidemiol 24: 851-862.
Moulin JJ (1997) A meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies of lung cancer in welders. Scand J Work Environ Health 23: 104-113.
Tenkate TD, Collins MJ (1997) Personal ultraviolet radiation exposure of workers in a welding environment. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 58: 33-38.
Elwood JM, Jopson J (1997) Melanoma and sun exposure: an overview of published studies. Int J Cancer 73: 198-203.
Gallagher RP, Elwood JM, Threlfall WJ, Spinelli JJ, Fincham S, Hill GB (1987) Socioeconomic status, sunlight exposure, and risk of malignant melanoma: The Western Canada Melanoma Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 79: 647-652.
Zhang ZF, Vena JE, Zielezny M, et al. (1995) Occupational exposure to extreme temperature and risk of testicular cancer. Arch Environ Health 50: 13-18.
Stevens RG (1987) Electric power use and breast cancer: a hypothesis. Am J Epidemiol 125: 556-561.
Liburdy RP (1997) Environmental-level electromagnetic fields and human breast cancer: in vitro cellular studies. In: Matthes R, Bernhardt JH, Repacholi MH, eds. Biological Effects of Static and ELF Electric and Magnetic Fields. International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, World Health Organization. Munich: Märkl-Druck pp. 131-140.
Andersson LE (1997) Biological and health effects of ELF fields: laboratory animal studies. In: Matthes R, Bernhardt JH, Repacholi MH, eds. Biological Effects of Static and ELF Electric and Magnetic Fields. International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, World Health Organization. Munich: Märkl-Druck, pp. 143-156.
Reiter RJ (1997) Extremely low frequency magnetic fields and melatonin: Animal studies. In: Matthes R, Bernhardt JH, Repacholi MH, eds. Biological Effects of Static and ELF Electric and Magnetic Fields. International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, World Health Organization. Munich: Märkl-Druck, pp. 157-168.
Graham C (1997) Biological effects of ELF exposure: human laboratory studies. In: Matthes R, Bernhardt JH, Repacholi MH, eds. Biological Effects of static and ELF Electric and Magnetic Fields. International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, World Health Organization. Munich: Märkl-Druck, pp. 171-186.
Reiter RJ (1997) Melatonin in relation to cellular antioxidative defense mechanisms. Hormone Metab Res 29: 363-372.
Burch JB, Reif JS, Yost MG, Keefe TJ, Pitrat CA (1998) Nocturnal excretion of a urinary melatonin metabolite among electric utility workers. Scand J Work Environ Health 24: 183-189.
Schottenfeld D (1996) Testicular cancer. In: Schottenfeld D, Fraumeni JF, eds. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 1207-1219.
Grady D, Ernster VL (1996) Endometrial cancer. In: Schottenfeld D, Fraumeni JF, eds. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 1058-1089.
Weiss NS, Cook LS, Farrow DC, Rosenblatt KA (1996) Ovarian cancer. In: Schottenfeld D, Fraumeni JF, eds. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 1040-1057.
Hendersen BE, Pike MC, Bernstein L, Ross RK (1996) Breast cancer. In: Schottenfeld D, Fraumeni JF, eds. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 1022-1039.
Morell V (1995) Zeroing in on how hormones affect the immune system. Science 269: 773-775.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Floderus, B., Stenlund, C. & Persson, T. Occupational magnetic field exposure and site-specific cancer incidence: a Swedish cohort study. Cancer Causes Control 10, 323–332 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008953920877
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008953920877