Cancer morbidity in subjects occupationally exposed to high frequency (radiofrequency and microwave) electromagnetic radiation

Sci Total Environ · 1996 · Harm · Low evidence

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HarmLow evidencePaper 6662

Study snapshot

PublicationSci Total Environ · 1996

Study typecohort

Reported directionHarm

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Cancer morbidity was registered in the whole population of military career personnel in Poland during a period of 15 years (1971-1985). Subjects exposed occupationally to radiofrequencies (RF) and microwaves (MW) were selected from the population on the basis of their service records and documented exposures at service posts. The population size varied slightly from year to year with a mean count of about 128,000 persons each year; each year about 3700 of them (2.98%) were considered as occupationally exposed to RF/MW. All subjects (exposed and non-exposed to RF/MW) were divided into age groups (20-29, 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59). All newly registered cases of cancer were divided into 12 types based on localisation of the malignancy; for neoplasms of the haemopoietic system and lymphatic organs an additional analysis based on diagnosis was performed. Morbidity rates (per 100,000 subjects annually) were calculated for all of the above localisations and types of malignancies both for the whole population and for the age groups. The mean value of 15 annual rates during 1971-1985 represented the respective morbidity rate for the whole period. Morbidity rates in the non-exposed groups of personnel were used as 'expected' (E) rates for the exposed subjects, while the real morbidity rates counted in the RF/MW-exposed personnel served as 'observed' (O) rates. This allowed the calculation of the observed/expected ratio (OER) representing the odds ratio for the exposed groups. The cancer morbidity rate for RF/MW-exposed personnel for all age groups (20-59 years) reached 119.1 per 100,000 annually (57.6 in non-exposed) with an OER of 2.07, significant at P < 0.05. The difference between observed and expected values results from higher morbidity rates due to neoplasms of the alimentary tract (OER = 3.19-3.24), brain tumours (OER = 1.91) and malignancies of the haemopoietic system and lymphatic organs (OER = 6.31). Among malignancies of the haemopoietic/lymphatic systems, the largest differences in morbidity rates between exposed and non-exposed personnel were found for chronic myelocytic leukaemia (OER = 13.9), acute myeloblastic leukaemia (OER = 8.62) and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (OER = 5.82).

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AI evidence extraction

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Study typecohort

Effect directionharm

PopulationMilitary career personnel in Poland (ages 20–59), with subgroup occupationally exposed to RF/microwaves

Sample size128000

ExposureRF · 15 years (1971–1985)

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Across 1971–1985, RF/microwave-exposed personnel had higher annual cancer morbidity (119.1 per 100,000) than non-exposed personnel (57.6 per 100,000), with an observed/expected ratio (OER) of 2.07 (P < 0.05). Elevated OERs were reported for alimentary tract neoplasms (3.19–3.24), brain tumours (1.91), and haemopoietic/lymphatic malignancies (6.31), including chronic myelocytic leukaemia (13.9), acute myeloblastic leukaemia (8.62), and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (5.82).

Outcomes measured

Cancer morbidity (overall)
Alimentary tract neoplasms
Brain tumours
Malignancies of the haemopoietic system and lymphatic organs
Chronic myelocytic leukaemia
Acute myeloblastic leukaemia
Non-Hodgkin lymphomas

Limitations

Exposure characterization is described as based on service records and documented exposures, but no quantitative exposure metrics (e.g., frequency, power density, SAR) are provided in the abstract.
Comparisons use non-exposed personnel as the expected rates; potential confounding factors are not described in the abstract.
Outcome ascertainment methods and diagnostic verification are not detailed in the abstract.

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "cohort",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "occupational (military service posts)",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "15 years (1971–1985)"
  },
  "population": "Military career personnel in Poland (ages 20–59), with subgroup occupationally exposed to RF/microwaves",
  "sample_size": 128000,
  "outcomes": [
    "Cancer morbidity (overall)",
    "Alimentary tract neoplasms",
    "Brain tumours",
    "Malignancies of the haemopoietic system and lymphatic organs",
    "Chronic myelocytic leukaemia",
    "Acute myeloblastic leukaemia",
    "Non-Hodgkin lymphomas"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Across 1971–1985, RF/microwave-exposed personnel had higher annual cancer morbidity (119.1 per 100,000) than non-exposed personnel (57.6 per 100,000), with an observed/expected ratio (OER) of 2.07 (P < 0.05). Elevated OERs were reported for alimentary tract neoplasms (3.19–3.24), brain tumours (1.91), and haemopoietic/lymphatic malignancies (6.31), including chronic myelocytic leukaemia (13.9), acute myeloblastic leukaemia (8.62), and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (5.82).",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "Exposure characterization is described as based on service records and documented exposures, but no quantitative exposure metrics (e.g., frequency, power density, SAR) are provided in the abstract.",
    "Comparisons use non-exposed personnel as the expected rates; potential confounding factors are not described in the abstract.",
    "Outcome ascertainment methods and diagnostic verification are not detailed in the abstract."
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "radiofrequency",
    "microwave",
    "occupational exposure",
    "military personnel",
    "cancer morbidity",
    "brain tumours",
    "leukaemia",
    "non-Hodgkin lymphoma",
    "observed/expected ratio"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.95,
      "reason": "Study evaluates cancer morbidity in military personnel occupationally exposed to RF/microwave radiation."
    }
  ]
}

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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: 10.1016/0048-9697(95)04915-0
PubMed: 8717316

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