Household electromagnetic fields and breast cancer in elderly women.

Abstract

The relationship between the rate of household low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) and incidences of mammary tumors was studied in 1290 clinical case-records of female patients aged 60 and more over a period of 26 years, based on the materials of the Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Israel. The studied material was divided into two groups, each corresponding to a period of 13 years. Group I included patients with mammary tumors under observation from 1978 to 1990, who rarely used EMF-generating appliances. Group II consisted of patients being under observation in the period between 1991 and 2003, characterized by much more extensive use of personal computers (more than 3 hours a day), mobile telephones, television sets, air conditioners and other household electrical appliances generating EMF. 200,527 biopsy and surgery samples were analyzed. Mammary tumors were found in 2824 women (1.4%), of which 1290 cases (45.6%) were observed in elderly women. Most of the observed tumors--1254 (97.2%)--were epithelial neoplasms. Mammary tumors were found in 585 elderly women in Group I and 705 women in Group II. The case records of these patients showed that 114 elderly women (19.5%) in Group I and 360 (51.1%) in Group II were regularly exposed to EMF (mostly from personal computers) for at least 3 hours a day (chi2=57.2, p<0.001). There was a statistically significant influence of EMF on the formation of all observed epithelial mammary tumors in Group II. This influence is most evident for invasive ductal carcinomas, which was the commonest form of cancer in elderly women.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Among elderly women with mammary tumors, a higher proportion in the later period (1991–2003) were reported as regularly exposed to EMF for at least 3 hours/day compared with the earlier period (1978–1990) (51.1% vs 19.5%; chi2=57.2, p<0.001). The authors report a statistically significant influence of EMF on formation of epithelial mammary tumors in Group II, most evident for invasive ductal carcinomas.

Outcomes measured

• Mammary tumors (breast tumors)
• Epithelial mammary tumors
• Invasive ductal carcinoma

Limitations

• Exposure was inferred from time-period differences in appliance use and case-record review rather than direct EMF measurements.
• Comparison is between two calendar periods, which may introduce confounding by secular trends (e.g., changes in diagnostics, screening, lifestyle, or other risk factors) not described in the abstract.
• Study appears limited to clinical case-records from a single medical center; generalizability is unclear.
• Denominators for exposure prevalence are among tumor cases; incidence rates in the underlying population are not provided in the abstract.
• Frequency/intensity of EMF exposure is not quantified beyond reported appliance use duration.

Suggested hubs

• who-icnirp (0.2)
  Addresses health outcomes (cancer) in relation to EMF exposure; potentially relevant to guideline discussions, though no policy content is provided.

{
    "study_type": "other",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "ELF",
        "source": "household appliances (including personal computers, mobile telephones, television sets, air conditioners)",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "regular exposure for at least 3 hours/day"
    },
    "population": "Female patients aged 60+ (elderly women) from Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Israel; clinical case-records over 26 years",
    "sample_size": 1290,
    "outcomes": [
        "Mammary tumors (breast tumors)",
        "Epithelial mammary tumors",
        "Invasive ductal carcinoma"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Among elderly women with mammary tumors, a higher proportion in the later period (1991–2003) were reported as regularly exposed to EMF for at least 3 hours/day compared with the earlier period (1978–1990) (51.1% vs 19.5%; chi2=57.2, p<0.001). The authors report a statistically significant influence of EMF on formation of epithelial mammary tumors in Group II, most evident for invasive ductal carcinomas.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Exposure was inferred from time-period differences in appliance use and case-record review rather than direct EMF measurements.",
        "Comparison is between two calendar periods, which may introduce confounding by secular trends (e.g., changes in diagnostics, screening, lifestyle, or other risk factors) not described in the abstract.",
        "Study appears limited to clinical case-records from a single medical center; generalizability is unclear.",
        "Denominators for exposure prevalence are among tumor cases; incidence rates in the underlying population are not provided in the abstract.",
        "Frequency/intensity of EMF exposure is not quantified beyond reported appliance use duration."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "very_low",
    "confidence": 0.66000000000000003108624468950438313186168670654296875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "extremely low frequency",
        "household electromagnetic fields",
        "personal computers",
        "mobile telephones",
        "elderly women",
        "breast cancer",
        "mammary tumors",
        "invasive ductal carcinoma",
        "case records",
        "Israel"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "who-icnirp",
            "weight": 0.200000000000000011102230246251565404236316680908203125,
            "reason": "Addresses health outcomes (cancer) in relation to EMF exposure; potentially relevant to guideline discussions, though no policy content is provided."
        }
    ]
}

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