Summarizes research on cancer among military RF workers and recommends carcinogen reclassification and st…

Dear Sirs,

We examined data on cancer cases with occupational exposure to radio-frequency radiation (RFR) in military settings. We published our findings in several papers (attached). These studies make the case for a carcinogenic effect from occupational exposure to RFR. Our findings highlight a special case where intense, short-term occupational exposure induces cancer with short latencies.• The following outlines a summary of our latest research - Peleg et al 2023.

Research Subject: A group of young cancer patients previously exposed to RFR in military occupational settings.

Exposures: Exposures originated from military radio communication transmitters, radar, and electronic warfare transmitters. Exposures were repetitive, typically spanning over a year or more. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) exposure levels are guided by occupational standards set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). These standards permit an average power that is higher by a factor of 5 relative to the ICNIRP recommendations for the general population, and higher by a factor of 50 relative to the Israeli recommendations for the general population. Furthermore, those standards barely limit the peak power of radar pulses, provided the average power remains within permissible limits. Energy concentrated in strong pulses may be more bioactive.

Method: Most of the information was gathered directly from the patients (n=46), the majority of whom were trained operators, technicians, and engineers. For a small subgroup of patients (n=6), the size of the total exposed population was known, enabling us to estimate cancer risk ratios (RR) relative to the general population. Because the total size of the exposed population was unavailable for most patients, we examined the distribution of cancer cases by type using the percentage frequencies (PF) method. The following outlines a summary of our latest research

Results: The onset of exposure was from age 18 onward. The duration of exposure ranged between 1 and 3 years, and latencies from the onset of exposure to diagnosis were brief, with a median of 4.6 years. The RR for cancer in the small subgroup was remarkably high— 8.0 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of (2.9% - 17%). The PF for hematolymphoid cancers (leukemia, lymphoma, and plasma cell cancers) was 41.3%, 95% CI (27%–57%), which is nearly twice the 22.7% expected in non-exposed subjects matched for age and gender profiles (p = 0.003). The data from our most recent study confirm the findings of our previous papers. Moreover, the foregoing results are consistent with the outcomes of other studies conducted elsewhere.

Recommendations: Radiofrequency radiation (RFR) should be formally recognized as a human carcinogen (upgraded to IARC Group 1). Human exposure should be strictly limited to low levels, such as an average level of 1 μW/cm² and a peak pulse level of 5 μW/cm². The suggested average level is within the range of typical community levels. Finally, there is an urgent need to recognize and implement regulations for peak exposures as well as average exposures.