Authors
Ken Karipidis
Dan Baaken
Tom Loney
Maria Blettner
Chris Brzozek
Mark Elwood
Clement Narh
Nicola Orsini
Martin Röösli
Marilia Silva Paulo
Susanna Lagorio
Institutions
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA)
Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS)
University of Medicine and Health Sciences
University of Mainz
University of Auckland
University of Health and Allied Sciences
Karolinska Institutet
University of Basel
Universidad NOVA de Lisboa
National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità)
Journal
Environment International
Background
In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) as being possibly carcinogenic. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the evidence from human observational studies for an association between exposure to RF-EMF and the risk of the most investigated types of cancer: brain tumours (glioma, meningioma, acoustic neuroma), pituitary tumours, salivary gland tumours in adults, and paediatric brain tumours. If exposure to RF-EMF increased the risk of cancer, then this would have serious public health consequences and require population-level preventive strategies including a revision of the international safety limits.
Method
An initial search identified 5,102 records. Many studies did not meet the inclusion criteria. Case reports and case series were ineligible for inclusion due to the lack of a control group. Also excluded were comparative studies such as ecological studies, cross-sectional studies, and case-case analyses of case-control studies. In total, 63 articles were assessed by the authors.
Conclusion
For RF-EMF exposure to the head from mobile phone use, there was moderate certainty evidence that it likely does not increase the risk of glioma, meningioma, acoustic neuroma, pituitary tumours, and salivary gland tumours in adults, and paediatric brain tumours. Exposure from broadcasting antennas and base stations was not associated with childhood leukaemia or paediatric brain tumour risks. Glioma risk was not significantly increased following occupational RF exposure.
The authors note that some caution should be taken when interpreting their results about exposure to base stations and broadcasting antennas due to the small number of studies. Similar interpretative cautions apply to the evidence rating of the relationship between brain cancer and occupational RF exposure due to differences in exposure sources and metrics across the few included studies.
Access the full journal article in Environment International.
