Howard Frumkin

Residential proximity to electricity transmission and distribution equipment and risk of childhood leukemia, childhood lymphoma, and childhood nervous system tumors: systematic review, evaluation, and meta-analysis

In 1979, Wertheimer and Leeper reported an increased risk of cancer mortality among children living near ‘electrical wiring configurations’, suggestive of high current flow. Since then, numerous, often inconclusively small, investigations with conflicting results have studied the possible asociation between exposure to electric and magnetic fields (EMF) and health effects. The high prevalence of exposure to EMF has drawn attention to the issue of carcinogenesis. We report here the results of a meta-analysis of 13 epidemiologic studies of residential proximity to electricity transmission and distribution equipment and risk of childhood leukemia, lymphoma, and nervous system tumors. The combined relative risks for leukemia, lymphoma, and nervous system tumors are 1.49 (95 percent confidence interval [CI]=1.11–2.00); 1.58 (CI=0.91–2.76); and 1.89 (CI=1.34–2.67) respectively. The reports of the primary studies were evaluated for epidemiologic quality and adequacy of exposure assessment. We found no statistically significant relation between combined relative risk estimates and 15 indicators of epidemiologic quality. Assessment of EMF exposure in the primary studies was found to be imperfect and imprecise. Additional high quality epidemiologic research, incorporating comprehensive assessments of EMF exposure collected concurrently with surrogate measures of exposure, is needed to confirm these results.

Preventive Medicine for the Planet and Its Peoples

Though the worst effects will be felt by poorer people in poorer, less resilient countries, climate change already affects the health of vulnerable U.S. populations. How can health professionals help protect the public?

Asbestos-Related Diseases

High-risk populations include construction trades, joiners, plumbers, electricians, painters, boilermakers, shipyard workers, railroad workers, asbestos miners and Navy veterans. There were 2,515 mesothelioma deaths in Great Britain in 2014 (a similar number to the 2,556 deaths in 2013) and 2,549 deaths in 2012. The latest projections suggest that there will continue to be around 2,500 deaths per year for the rest of this current decade before annual numbers begin to decline. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 107,000 people worldwide die each year from mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Mesothelioma is still increasing in most European countries and in Japan but has peaked in the USA and Sweden [5] . The incidence of asbestos-related disease will continue to increase in developing countries because of the continued unregulated use of asbestos. Exposure to cigarette smoke increases the risk of developing lung cancer in patients with a history of asbestos exposure [6] .