Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields exposure and female breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis based on 24,338 cases and 60,628 controls

  • Epidemiology
  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) has been suggested to increase female breast cancer risk; however, the data have been inconclusive. In order to derive a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta-analysis was performed. Medline, PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched. Crude ORs with 95% CIs were used to assess the strength of association between ELF-EMF exposure and female breast cancer risk. A total of 15 studies published over the period 2000 to 2009 including 24,338 cases and 60,628 controls were involved in this meta-analysis. The results showed no significant association between ELF-EMF exposure and female breast cancer risk in total analysis (OR = 0.988, 95% CI = 0.898–1.088) and in all the subgroup analyses by exposure modes, menopausal status, and estrogen receptor status. This result is in accordance with the previous meta-analysis carried out by Erren in 2000. In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggests that ELF-EMF exposure has no association with the susceptibility of female breast cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. International Agency for Research on Cancer (2002) Non-ionizing radiation, part 1: static and extremely low-frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum 80:1–395

    Google Scholar 

  2. Erren TC (2001) A meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies of electric and magnetic fields and breast cancer in women and men. Bioelectromagnetics Suppl 5:S105–S119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Angelillo IF, Villari P (1999) Residential exposure to electromagnetic fields and childhood leukaemia: a meta-analysis. Bull World Health Organ 77(11):906–915

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Stroup DF, Berlin JA, Morton SC, Olkin I, Williamson GD, Rennie D, Moher D, Becker BJ, Sipe TA, Thacker SB (2000) Meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology: a proposal for reporting. Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) group. JAMA 283(15):2008–2012

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Little J, Bradley L, Bray MS, Clyne M, Dorman J, Ellsworth DL, Hanson J, Khoury M, Lau J, O’Brien TR, Rothman N, Stroup D, Taioli E, Thomas D, Vainio H, Wacholder S, Weinberg C (2002) Reporting, appraising, and integrating data on genotype prevalence and gene-disease associations. Am J Epidemiol 156(4):300–310

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mantel N, Haenszel W (1959) Statistical aspects of the analysis of data from retrospective studies of disease. J Natl Cancer Inst 22(4):719–748

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. DerSimonian R, Kacker R (2007) Random-effects model for meta-analysis of clinical trials: an update. Contemp Clin Trials 28(2):105–114

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. DerSimonian R, Laird N (1986) Meta-analysis in clinical trials. Control Clin Trials 7(3):177–188

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Kabat GC, O’Leary ES, Schoenfeld ER, Greene JM, Grimson R, Henderson K, Kaune WT, Gammon MD, Britton JA, Teitelbaum SL, Neugut AI, Leske MC (2003) Electric blanket use and breast cancer on Long Island. Epidemiology 14(5):514–520

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. London SJ, Pogoda JM, Hwang KL, Langholz B, Monroe KR, Kolonel LN, Kaune WT, Peters JM, Henderson BE (2003) Residential magnetic field exposure and breast cancer risk: a nested case-control study from a multiethnic cohort in Los Angeles County, California. Am J Epidemiol 158(10):969–980

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. McElroy JA, Egan KM, Titus-Ernstoff L, Anderson HA, Trentham-Dietz A, Hampton JM, Newcomb PA (2007) Occupational exposure to electromagnetic field and breast cancer risk in a large, population-based, case-control study in the United States. J Occup Environ Med 49(3):266–274

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Forssen UM, Rutqvist LE, Ahlbom A, Feychting M (2005) Occupational magnetic fields and female breast cancer: a case-control study using Swedish population registers and new exposure data. Am J Epidemiol 161(3):250–259

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Kliukiene J, Tynes T, Andersen A (2004) Residential and occupational exposures to 50-Hz magnetic fields and breast cancer in women: a population-based study. Am J Epidemiol 159(9):852–861

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Zhu K, Hunter S, Payne-Wilks K, Roland CL, Forbes DS (2003) Use of electric bedding devices and risk of breast cancer in African-American women. Am J Epidemiol 158(8):798–806

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Schoenfeld ER, O’Leary ES, Henderson K, Grimson R, Kabat GC, Ahnn S, Kaune WT, Gammon MD, Leske MC (2003) Electromagnetic fields and breast cancer on Long Island: a case-control study. Am J Epidemiol 158(1):47–58

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Labreche F, Goldberg MS, Valois MF, Nadon L, Richardson L, Lakhani R, Latreille B (2003) Occupational exposures to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and postmenopausal breast cancer. Am J Ind Med 44(6):643–652

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Kliukiene J, Tynes T, Andersen A (2003) Follow-up of radio and telegraph operators with exposure to electromagnetic fields and risk of breast cancer. Eur J Cancer Prev 12(4):301–307

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Davis S, Mirick DK, Stevens RG (2002) Residential magnetic fields and the risk of breast cancer. Am J Epidemiol 155(5):446–454

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Van Wijngaarden E, Nylander-French LA, Millikan RC, Savitz DA, Loomis D (2001) Population-based case-control study of occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields and breast cancer. Ann Epidemiol 11(5):297–303

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. McElroy JA, Newcomb PA, Remington PL, Egan KM, Titus-Ernstoff L, Trentham-Dietz A, Hampton JM, Baron JA, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC (2001) Electric blanket or mattress cover use and breast cancer incidence in women 50–79 years of age. Epidemiology 12(6):613–617

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Zheng T, Holford TR, Mayne ST, Owens PH, Zhang B, Boyle P, Carter D, Ward B, Zhang Y, Zahm SH (2000) Exposure to electromagnetic fields from use of electric blankets and other in-home electrical appliances and breast cancer risk. Am J Epidemiol 151(11):1103–1111

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Stevens RG (1987) Electric power use and breast cancer: a hypothesis. Am J Epidemiol 125(4):556–561

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Nichols L, Sorahan T (2005) Mortality of UK electricity generation and transmission workers, 1973–2002. Occup Med (Lond) 55(7):541–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Johansen C, Raaschou Nielsen O, Olsen JH, Schuz J (2007) Risk for leukaemia and brain and breast cancer among Danish utility workers: a second follow-up. Occup Environ Med 64(11):782–784

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Garcia AM, Sisternas A, Hoyos SP (2008) Occupational exposure to extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields and Alzheimer disease: a meta-analysis. Int J Epidemiol 37(2):329–340

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Wartenberg D (2001) Residential EMF exposure and childhood leukemia: meta-analysis and population attributable risk. Bioelectromagnetics Suppl 5:S86–S104

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30901179). We thank Miss Yanli Li and Maopei Liu for their helpful assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Preventive Medicine, Department of Occupational Health, Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Radiation Protection, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China

    Chunhai Chen, Min Zhong & Zhengping Yu

  2. Faculty of Preventive Medicine, Department of Epidemiology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China

    Xiangyu Ma

Authors
  1. Chunhai Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiangyu Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Min Zhong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhengping Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhengping Yu.

Additional information

Chunhai Chen and Xiangyu Ma contributed equally to this study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, C., Ma, X., Zhong, M. et al. Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields exposure and female breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis based on 24,338 cases and 60,628 controls. Breast Cancer Res Treat 123, 569–576 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-010-0782-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-010-0782-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation