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Cancer Mortality and Air Force Bases

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John R. Lester, Ph.D. and Dennis F. Moore, M.D. · 1982

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Counties with Air Force bases had significantly higher cancer death rates from 1950-1969, suggesting radar exposure risks.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1982 study analyzed cancer mortality rates across U.S. counties from 1950-1969, comparing areas with Air Force bases to those without. Counties containing Air Force bases showed significantly higher cancer death rates during this 20-year period. The findings suggest potential health impacts from radar and other electromagnetic radiation sources concentrated around military installations.

Why This Matters

This study represents one of the earliest large-scale investigations into EMF exposure and cancer outcomes in human populations. What makes it particularly significant is the scale - examining cancer mortality across entire counties over two decades. Air Force bases concentrate multiple high-powered radar systems, communications equipment, and other electromagnetic sources that far exceed typical civilian exposures. The science demonstrates a clear statistical association between proximity to these EMF-dense environments and increased cancer deaths. While this observational study cannot prove direct causation, it aligns with growing evidence that chronic EMF exposure may contribute to cancer development. The reality is that military radar systems operate at power levels thousands of times higher than consumer devices, yet the biological mechanisms they affect - cellular DNA repair, oxidative stress pathways - are the same ones influenced by lower-level exposures from everyday technology.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
John R. Lester, Ph.D. and Dennis F. Moore, M.D. (1982). Cancer Mortality and Air Force Bases.
Show BibTeX
@article{cancer_mortality_and_air_force_bases_g7318,
  author = {John R. Lester and Ph.D. and Dennis F. Moore and M.D.},
  title = {Cancer Mortality and Air Force Bases},
  year = {1982},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, this nationwide analysis found counties containing Air Force bases had significantly higher cancer mortality rates from 1950-1969 compared to counties without military installations, suggesting elevated health risks from concentrated radar and electromagnetic sources.
Researchers analyzed cancer mortality data over a 20-year period from 1950-1969, providing substantial long-term evidence of elevated cancer death rates in counties with Air Force installations compared to areas without bases.
Air Force bases contain multiple high-powered radar systems for aircraft tracking, weather monitoring, and communications that operate at electromagnetic field strengths thousands of times higher than civilian exposures, potentially contributing to observed cancer increases.
The study found county-wide increases in cancer mortality, suggesting that electromagnetic radiation from Air Force radar and communication systems may have health impacts extending beyond the immediate base perimeter into surrounding communities.
This 1982 research represents one of the earliest large-scale epidemiological studies demonstrating statistical associations between military electromagnetic installations and increased cancer mortality rates in surrounding populations, predating most civilian EMF health research.