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Epidemiological Research Relevant to Identification of Health Hazards Associated with GWEN Fields
Pages 121-136

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From page 121...
... as indirect measurements of magnetic-field exposure. The archetypal residential-exposure study was published by Wertheimer and Leeper.6 It used a case-control design and measurements of wiring configuration to consider 344 cancer deaths of newborn to IS-yr-old children recorded in Denver, Colorado, between 1950 and 1973.
From page 122...
... for nervous system tumors was observed when dwellings with measured field strengths greater than 0.3 ,uT were compared with those with field strengths less than 0.3 ,uT. However, a decreased leukemia risk of 0.3 bordered on significance.
From page 123...
... on the Wertheimer-Leeper coding scheme. The authors suggested that the results support an association between leukemia risk and wiring codes, but not with either electric or magnetic fields.
From page 124...
... An analysis of the data showed no association of leukemia risk with wire code (odds ratios, 0.60-1.36~. A similar analysis based on measured fields also showed no significant association with leukemia risk.
From page 125...
... Of more importance for the present report is the finding of a nonsignificant trend with distance from the power lines, which suggested an increased risk -- a relative risk of about 1.3 -- associated with larger magnetic fields or with proximity to overhead power lines. However, on the basis of both direct and indirect measurements of exposure, the investigators stated that their study provided no consistent evidence that distance from power lines correlates nec~,rnt~]
From page 126...
... ~~23 and leukemia;24 2s they typically report increased odds ratios -- .5 to 3-for such job titles as "electrician" or "welder." Cohort studies have also been carried out on workers in the electrical industry; these studies have led to reports of excess cancers in many anatomic sites, from melanoma to male breast cancer. The epidemiological results have generated a number of useful hypotheses; e.g., if ELF magnetic fields interfere with melatonin metabolism, excess breast cancer29 might be expected.
From page 127...
... One such studying followed a high-exposure group of 20,109 Korean War veterans involved in radar repair, compared with a similar group of 20,781 veterans involved in radar operation and considered to have received low exposure. No excesses of either cancer or cataracts (hypothesized to be related to occupational exposure to microwaves)
From page 128...
... Another study on cancer incidence in relation to RF exposure from radio and television broadcast stations was conducted in the state of Hawaii using data from the Hawaii Tumor Registry.37 Cancer incidence rates were examined for nine census tracts with broadcast towers (in Honolulu and Waikiki) and for two tracts without towers (more centrally located on the island of Oahu)
From page 129...
... Because Milham~s study provided no estimate of exposure to either RF or ELF fields among the amateur radio operators, the results cannot be considered directly relevant to GWEN fields. CONCLUSIONS Reports of occupational studies have generated useful hypotheses, but so far none has been helpful in specifically testing hypotheses or quantifying risk.
From page 130...
... Whether distance of residences from power lines is a surrogate measure of exposure to other cancer-causing agents is an unanswered question of public-health importance. But, the answer is unlikely to provide any new information that could be used to assess the potential risk associated with GWEN electromagnetic fields.
From page 131...
... study of childhood cancer and residential exposure to electric and magnetic fields. Contractor's Final Report, New York State Power Lines Project, Contract 218217, March 30, 1987.
From page 132...
... 1989. Fetal loss associated with two seasonal sources of electromagnetic field exposure.
From page 133...
... 1991. Electromagnetic field exposure and male breast cancer.
From page 134...
... 1989. Use of wiring ~ ,, ~ ~ ~ configuration and wiring codes for estimating externally generated electric and magnetic fields.
From page 135...
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