NEW DELHI (PTI): People who are exposed of electromagnetic fields at work are more likely than others to develop cancer.
The connection is most obvious for chronic lymphatic leukemia the risk was trebled for a group exposed to fields stronger than 0.29 mierotesla, according to a new Swedish epidemiological study.
The study was conducted by Birgitta Floderus, of the division of neuromedicine at the national institute of occupational health in Sweden. It covered 250 cases of Jeukemia and 261 cases of brain tumor, with a control group of 1,121 persons: all men between the age of 20 and 64, More than 1,000 measurements were made at almost as many workplaces.
The study found a fairly clear correlation with the strength of the magnetic field and also showed that for employees exposed to more than 0.20 mierotesla during at least one third of the working day the risk of developing chronic lymphatic leukemia was doubled. By contrast, no correlation was Ob served for acute myelotic leukemia.
Earlier studies have aroused suspicion that exposure to magnetic fields increases the risk brain tumors; the new study was found Correlations with “astrocytoma’s types IIV,” the more malignant types of brain tumors, particularly among young women.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 18, 1993
