Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Biological effects on human health due to radiofrequency/microwave exposure: a synopsis of cohort studies

  • Review Paper
  • Published:
Radiation and Environmental Biophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We evaluated the methods and results of nine cohort studies dealing with the biological effects on human health from exposure to radiofrequencies/microwaves, published between 1980 and 2002. The size of the cohorts varied between 304 (3,362 person years) and nearly 200,000 persons (2.7 million person years). As exposures were defined: dielectric heaters in a plastic manufacturing plant, working with radio devices (professional and amateur), production of wireless communication technologies, radar devices of the Canadian police, radar units used by the military as well as artificially produced electromagnetic pulses similar to those after a nuclear explosion. In all studies (except one that used a qualitative job-exposure-matrix) either the duration of occupational work as an approximation to actual exposure was determined or a simple yes/no differentiation was used based on a definition of high-exposed and/or low-exposed (occupational) groups. Either total mortality, cancer mortality, cancer incidence or other outcomes were estimated. In most of the studies, an increased risk for various types of cancer was found in exposed study participants, although in different organs. The overall results were, however, inconsistent. The most important limitations of the studies were the lack of measurements referring to past and current exposures and, thus, the unknown details on actual exposure, the use of possibly biased data as well as the lack of adjustment for potential confounders and the use of indirect standardization techniques. Due to these limitations and the inconsistencies of the results it has to be concluded that the studies give no evidence of high frequency emissions causing cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Maskarinec G, Cooper J, Swygert L (1994) Investigation of increased incidence in childhood leukemia near radio towers in Hawaii: preliminary observations. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol 13:33–37

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Altpeter ES (1995) Study on health effects of shortwave transmitter station of Schwarzenberg, Berne, Switzerland. BEW Publication Series No 55, University of Berne

  3. Dolk H, Shaddick G, Walls P, Grundy C, Thakrar B, Kleinschmidt I, Elliott P (1997) Cancer incidence near radio and television transmitters in Great Britain. I. Sutton Cornfield transmitter. Am J Epidemiol 145:1–9

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Dolk H, Elliott P, Shaddick G, Walls P, Thakrar B (1997) Cancer incidence near radio and television transmitters in Great Britain. II. All high power transmitters. Am J Epidemiol 145:10–17

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Hocking B, Gordon IR, Grain HL, Hatfield GE (1996) Cancer incidence and mortality and proximity to TV towers. Med J Aust 165:601–605

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Brüggemeyer H, Eichhorn K-F, Eggert S, Förster H-J, Heinrich W, Krause N, Kunsch B (2002) Elektromagnetische Felder. Frequenzbereich 0 Hz–300 GHz.www.eev.e-technik.uni-erlangen.de/ak-nir/lf90nir2.pdf

  7. ICNIRP—International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (1996) Health issues related to use of hand-held radiotelephones and base transmitters. Health Phys 70:587–593

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. ICNIRP—International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (1998) Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields (up to 300 GHz). Health Phys 74:494–522

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Blettner M, Berg G (2000) Are mobile phones harmful? Acta Oncol 39:927–930

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Verschaeve L, Maes A (1998) Genetic, carcinogenic and teratogenic effects of radiofrequency fields. Mutat Res 410:141–165

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Stuchly MA (1998) Biomedical concerns in wireless communications. Crit Rev Biomed Eng 26:117–151

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. French PW, Penny R, Laurence JA, McKenzie DR (2001) Mobile phones, heat shock proteins and cancer. Differentiation 67:93–97

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Michaelson SM, Elson EC (1996) Interaction of non-modulated radiofrequency fields with living matter: experimental results. In: Polk C, Postow E (eds) Handbook of biological effects of electromagnetic fields, 2nd edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 435–533

  14. Neubauer C, Phelan AM, Kues H, Lange DG (1990) Microwave irradiation of rats at 2.45 GHz activates pinocytotic-like uptake of tracer by capillary endothelial cells of cerebral cortex. Bioelectromagnetics 11:261–268

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Akdag MZ, Celik S, Ketani A, Nergiz Y, Deniz M, Dasdag S (1999) Effect of chronic low-intensity microwave radiation on sperm count, sperm morphology, and testicular and epididymal tissues of rats. Bioelectromagnetics 18:133–145

    Google Scholar 

  16. Lyle DB, Schechter P, Adey WR, Lundak RL (1983) Suppression of T-lymphocyte cytotoxicity following exposure to sinusoidally amplitude-modulated fields. Bioelectromagnetics 4:281–292

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Elwood JM (1999) A critical review of epidemiologic studies of radiofrequency exposure and human cancers. Environ Health Perspect 107 [Suppl 1]:155–168

    Google Scholar 

  18. Goldsmith JR (1997) Epidemiologic evidence relevant to radar (microwave) effects. Environ Health Perspect 105 [Suppl 6]:1579–1587

    Google Scholar 

  19. Muhm J (1992) Mortality investigation of workers in an electromagnetic pulse test program. J Occup Med 34:287–292

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Morgan RW, Kelsh MA, Zhao K, Exuzides KA, Heringer S, Negrete W (2000) radiofrequency exposure and mortality from cancer of the brain and lymphatic/hemotopoietic systems. Epidemiology 11:118–127

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Lagorio S, Rossi S, Vecchia P et al. (1997) Mortality of plastic-ware workers exposed to radiofrequencies. Bioelectromagnetics 18:418–421

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Milham S (1988) Increased mortality in amateur radio operators due to lymphatic and hemotopoietic malignancies. Am J Epidemiol 127:50–54

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Tynes T, Hannevik M, Andersen A, Vistnes AI, Haldorsen T (1996) Incidence of breast cancer in Norwegian female radio and telegraph operators. Cancer Causes Control 7:197–204

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Amateurradio (1980) A look at ham radio as we enter the eighties. In: Amateurradio Survey. American Radio Relay League, Newington, CT

  25. Milham S (1988) Mortality by license class in amateur radio operators. Am J Epidemiol 128:1175–1176

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Davis S, Kaune WT, Mirick DK, Chen C, Stevens RG (2001) Residential magnetic fields, light-at-night, and nocturnal urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin concentration in women. Am J Epidemiol 154:591–600

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Levallois P, Dumont M, Touitou Y et al. (2001) Effects of electric and magnetic fields from high-power lines on female urinary excretion of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin concentration in women. Am J Epidemiol 154:601–609

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Finkelstein MM (1998) Cancer incidence among Ontario police officers. Am J Ind Med 34:157–162

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Robinette CD, Silverman C, Jablon S (1980) Effects upon health of occupational exposure to microwave radiation (radar). Am J Epidemiol 112:39–53

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Groves FD, Page WF, Gridley G et al. (2002) Cancer in Korean Navy technicians: mortality survey after 40 years. Am J Epidemiol 155:810–818

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Szmigielski S (1996) Cancer mortality in subjects occupationally exposed to high-frequency (radiofrequency and microwaves) electromagnetic radiation. Sci Total Environ 180:9–17

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Tynes T, Andersen A, Langmark F (1992) Incidence of cancer in Norwegian workers potentially exposed to electromagnetic fields. Am J Epidemiol 136:81–88

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Checkoway H, Pearce NE, Crawford-Brown DJ (1989) Research methods in occupational epidemiology. Oxford University Press, New York Oxford

  34. Savitz DA, Loomis DP (1995) Magnetic field exposure in relation to leukemia and brain cancer mortality. Am J Epidemiol 141:123–134

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Sorahan T, Nichols L, Tongeren M van, Harrington JM (2001) Occupational exposure to magnetic fields relative to mortality from brain tumors: updated and revised findings from a study of United Kingdom electricity generation and transmission workers, 1973–97. Occup Environ Med 58:626–630

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Harrington JM, Nichols L, Sorahan T, Tongeren M van (2001) Leukemia mortality in relation to magnetic field exposure: findings from a study of United Kingdom electricity generation and transmission workers, 1973–97. Occup Environ Med 58:307–314

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Sahl JD, Kelsh MA, Greenland S (1993) Cohort and nested case-control studies of hematopoietic cancers and brain cancer among electric utility workers. Epidemiology 4:104–114

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Spinelli JJ, Band PR, Svirchev LM, Gallagher RP (1991) Mortality and cancer incidence in aluminum plant workers. J Occup Med 33:1150–1155

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Rønneberg A, Haldorsen T, Romunstad P, Andersen A (1999) Occupational exposure and cancer incidence among workers from an aluminum smelter in western Norway. Scand J Work Environ Health 25:207–214

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Toernqvist S, Knave B, Ahlhorm A, Persson T (1991) Incidence of leukemia and brain tumors in some "electrical occupations". Br J Ind Med 48:597–603

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Floderus B, Stenlund C, Persson T (1999) Occupational magnetic field exposure and site-specific cancer incidence: a Swedish cohort study. Cancer Causes Control 10:323–332

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Gruénel 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

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Milham S (1996) Increased incidence of cancer in a cohort of office workers exposed to strong magnetic fields. Am J Ind Med 30:702–704

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Savitz DA, Liao D, Sastre A, Kleckner RC, Kavet R (1999) Magnetic field exposure and cardiovascular disease among electric utility workers. Am J Epidemiol 149: 135–142

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Johansen C, Koch-Henrikssen N, Rasmussen S, Olsen JH (1999) Multiple sclerosis among utility workers. Neurology 52:1279–1282

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Johansen C (2000) Exposure to electromagnetic fields and risk of central nervous system disease in utility workers. Epidemiology 11:539–543

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Järvholm B, Stendberg A (2002) Suicide mortality among electricians in the Swedish construction industry. Occup Environ Med 59:199–200

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Li DK, Odouli R, Wi S, Janevic T, Golditch I, Bracken TD, Senior R, Rankin R, Iriye R (2002) A population-based prospective cohort study of personal exposure to magnetic fields during pregnancy and the risk of miscarriage. Epidemiology 13:9–20

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health Sciences Department 3 Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, University of Bielefeld, PO Box 10 01 31, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany

    Jürgen Breckenkamp, Gabriele Berg & Maria Blettner

Authors
  1. Jürgen Breckenkamp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gabriele Berg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maria Blettner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jürgen Breckenkamp.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Breckenkamp, J., Berg, G. & Blettner, M. Biological effects on human health due to radiofrequency/microwave exposure: a synopsis of cohort studies. Radiat Environ Biophys 42, 141–154 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-003-0203-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-003-0203-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation