Electronics in fluorescent bulbs & LEDs cause malignant melanoma in indoor office workers & tanning bed users

2018 · Unclear · Insufficient evidence

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UnclearInsufficient evidencePaper 2121

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2018

Study typeother

Reported directionUnclear

Evidence ratingInsufficient

Abstract

Electronics in fluorescent bulbs & LEDs cause malignant melanoma in indoor office workers & tanning bed users Milham S, Stetzer D. The electronics in fluorescent bulbs and light emitting diodes (LED), rather than ultraviolet radiation, cause increased malignant melanoma incidence in indoor office workers and tanning bed users. Medical Hypotheses. 116:33-39. Jul 2018. Abstract The epidemiology of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) has a number of facets that do not fit with sunlight and ultraviolet light as the primary etiologic agents. Indoor workers have higher incidence and mortality rates of CMM than outdoor workers; CMM occurs in body locations never exposed to sunlight; CMM incidence is increasing in spite of use of UV blocking agents and small changes in solar radiation. Installation of two new fluorescent lights in the milking parlor holding area of a Minnesota dairy farm in 2015 caused an immediate drop in milk production. This lead to measurement of body amperage in humans exposed to modern non-incandescent lighting. People exposed to old and new fluorescent lights, light emitting diodes (LED) and compact fluorescent lights (CFL) had body amperage levels above those considered carcinogenic. We hypothesize that modern electric lighting is a significant health hazard, a carcinogen, and is causing increasing CMM incidence in indoor office workers and tanning bed users. These lights generate dirty electricity (high frequency voltage transients), radio frequency (RF) radiation, and increase body amperage, all of which have been shown to be carcinogenic. This could explain the failure of ultraviolet blockers to stem the malignant melanoma pandemic. Tanning beds and non-incandescent lighting could be made safe by incorporating a grounded Faraday cage which allows passage of ultraviolet and visible light frequencies and blocks other frequencies. Modern electric lighting should be fabricated to be electrically clean. medical-hypotheses.com Evaluation of hypothesis To test this hypothesis, tanning beds with and without grounded Faraday cages which allow passage of UV light and block other electromagnetic frequencies should be tested with a body amperage meter and with animal malignant melanoma models. Incandescent (no internal or external electronics) and fluorescent tanning bulbs of the same UV frequency (wavelength) and intensity should also be tested similarly. Modern non-incandescent lighting of all types should be tested and compared to incandescent lights and lights fabricated to be electrically clean. Case/control and cohort studies of CMM cases focused on lighting exposures should be undertaken.

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeother

Effect directionunclear

PopulationIndoor office workers; tanning bed users; humans exposed to modern non-incandescent lighting (for body amperage measurements)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureRF

Evidence strengthInsufficientConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

The authors propose that electronics in modern non-incandescent lighting (fluorescent, LED, CFL) and tanning beds generate "dirty electricity" (high frequency voltage transients), RF radiation, and increased body amperage, and hypothesize these exposures contribute to increasing CMM incidence in indoor office workers and tanning bed users. The abstract reports that people exposed to various modern lights had body amperage levels described as above those considered carcinogenic, and suggests Faraday-cage shielding as a potential mitigation; it calls for animal studies and epidemiologic studies to test the hypothesis.

Outcomes measured

Cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) incidence
CMM mortality
Body amperage levels (in humans exposed to lighting)
Milk production change in dairy farm after installation of fluorescent lights (anecdotal observation)

Limitations

Hypothesis article; no described analytic epidemiologic study design or results in the abstract
No quantitative exposure metrics (frequencies, field strengths) reported
No sample size or measurement methods for body amperage provided in the abstract
Causal claims are asserted without presented controlled data in the abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "other",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "fluorescent bulbs & LEDs (including CFL); tanning beds",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Indoor office workers; tanning bed users; humans exposed to modern non-incandescent lighting (for body amperage measurements)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) incidence",
    "CMM mortality",
    "Body amperage levels (in humans exposed to lighting)",
    "Milk production change in dairy farm after installation of fluorescent lights (anecdotal observation)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "The authors propose that electronics in modern non-incandescent lighting (fluorescent, LED, CFL) and tanning beds generate \"dirty electricity\" (high frequency voltage transients), RF radiation, and increased body amperage, and hypothesize these exposures contribute to increasing CMM incidence in indoor office workers and tanning bed users. The abstract reports that people exposed to various modern lights had body amperage levels described as above those considered carcinogenic, and suggests Faraday-cage shielding as a potential mitigation; it calls for animal studies and epidemiologic studies to test the hypothesis.",
  "effect_direction": "unclear",
  "limitations": [
    "Hypothesis article; no described analytic epidemiologic study design or results in the abstract",
    "No quantitative exposure metrics (frequencies, field strengths) reported",
    "No sample size or measurement methods for body amperage provided in the abstract",
    "Causal claims are asserted without presented controlled data in the abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "malignant melanoma",
    "cutaneous malignant melanoma",
    "fluorescent lighting",
    "LED",
    "CFL",
    "dirty electricity",
    "high frequency voltage transients",
    "radiofrequency radiation",
    "body amperage",
    "tanning beds",
    "Faraday cage"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.62,
      "reason": "Discusses indoor office workers and workplace lighting exposures in relation to melanoma."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: Not supplied
PubMed: Not supplied

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