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Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

Cancer & Tumors

Breast cancer, occupation, and exposure to electromagnetic fields among Swedish men

No Effects Found

Authors not listed · 2001

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Swedish workers exposed to workplace EMF above 0.12 microtesla showed 31% higher male breast cancer rates.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Swedish researchers tracked 25,000+ male workers from 1971-1989 to investigate whether occupational electromagnetic field exposure increases breast cancer risk in men. They found machinery repairers had consistently elevated risk, while workers exposed to EMF levels above 0.12 microtesla showed a 31% increased risk. The study suggests intermittent high-variation EMF exposure patterns may pose greater risk than steady exposure.

Why This Matters

This Swedish occupational study offers a unique window into EMF health effects by examining male breast cancer, eliminating the hormonal confounding factors that complicate research in women. The 31% increased risk among workers exposed to EMF levels above 0.12 microtesla is particularly noteworthy because this threshold is easily exceeded in many modern workplaces and homes. Hair dryers produce 6-2000 microtesla at close range, while electric blankets generate 0.15-3 microtesla throughout the night.

The finding that intermittent, variable EMF exposure may be more harmful than steady exposure challenges the simplistic dose-response models often used to dismiss EMF health concerns. This suggests your daily exposure pattern matters as much as the intensity. Moving between high-EMF appliances and low-EMF environments throughout your workday could create the exact exposure variability this study linked to increased cancer risk.

Cite This Study
Unknown (2001). Breast cancer, occupation, and exposure to electromagnetic fields among Swedish men.
Show BibTeX
@article{breast_cancer_occupation_and_exposure_to_electromagnetic_fields_among_swedish_men_ce1534,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Breast cancer, occupation, and exposure to electromagnetic fields among Swedish men},
  year = {2001},
  doi = {10.1002/1097-0274(200103)39:3<276::AID-AJIM1015>3.0.CO;2-B},
  
}
DOI: 10.1002/1097-0274(200103)39:3<276::AID-AJIM1015>3.0.CO;2-BPubMed: 11241560

Quick Questions About This Study

This Swedish study found a 31% increased breast cancer risk among male workers exposed to electromagnetic fields above 0.12 microtesla, with machinery repairers showing consistently elevated risk across the 18-year study period.
Workers exposed to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields above 0.12 microtesla showed increased breast cancer risk. This threshold is commonly exceeded by household appliances like hair dryers and electric blankets.
Male breast cancer research eliminates hormonal confounding factors that complicate studies in women, providing clearer insight into environmental and occupational risk factors like electromagnetic field exposure.
The study found stronger evidence for increased risk among workers with intermittent EMF exposure patterns, suggesting that variable exposure throughout the workday may be more harmful than steady exposure.
Machinery repairers showed the most consistent elevated risk. Other affected occupations included librarians, bank employees, metal processing workers, and policemen, though these were based on fewer cases.