Biomaterial Database

A review of the epidemiologic literature on magnetic fields and cancer. 1988

A Ahlbom

Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Since 1979 several studies have been published that suggest that residential exposure to electromagnetic fields could increase the risk of childhood cancer. Such studies have also been published for adults. In addition there are several studies suggesting that people in "electrical" occupations are at an increased risk of cancer. The objective of this review was to determine whether the role of electromagnetic fields in the origin of cancer can be established from the epidemiologic literature. Several of the studies suffer from methodological or other shortcomings, but it is not clear whether these problems are likely to explain the results. No conclusion can be drawn about the role of electromagnetic fields in the origin of cancer on the basis of current data. The existing literature, however, strongly suggests that research in this area should be pursued.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008280	Magnetics	The study of MAGNETIC PHENOMENA.	Magnetic
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009369	Neoplasms	New abnormal growth of tissue. Malignant neoplasms show a greater degree of anaplasia and have the properties of invasion and metastasis, compared to benign neoplasms.	Benign Neoplasm,Cancer,Malignant Neoplasm,Tumor,Tumors,Benign Neoplasms,Malignancy,Malignant Neoplasms,Neoplasia,Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Benign,Cancers,Malignancies,Neoplasias,Neoplasm, Benign,Neoplasm, Malignant,Neoplasms, Malignant
D009784	Occupational Diseases	Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment.	Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D012307	Risk Factors	An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent.	Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor