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Case-control study of childhood cancer and exposure to 60-Hz magnetic fields

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Authors not listed · 1988

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Denver children exposed to home magnetic fields above 2.0 milligauss showed 40-90% higher cancer rates.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1988 Denver study examined 356 children with cancer and compared their home magnetic field exposures to healthy controls. Children living in homes with magnetic fields above 2.0 milligauss had 40% higher cancer rates overall, with even stronger associations for leukemia (90% higher) and lymphomas (120% higher). The study also found that homes near high-voltage power lines had significantly more childhood cancer cases.

Why This Matters

This landmark study by Savitz represents one of the most comprehensive early investigations into childhood cancer and power line EMF exposure. What makes these findings particularly significant is the dual approach: both direct magnetic field measurements in homes and assessment of power line proximity through wire configurations. The 2.0 milligauss threshold identified here is remarkably close to typical exposures many children experience today from household electronics and wiring. The reality is that many homes exceed this level near electrical panels, appliances, and improperly wired circuits. The consistency of elevated cancer risks across multiple childhood cancer types, particularly blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, strengthens the biological plausibility of these associations and helped establish the foundation for decades of subsequent research into EMF health effects.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 60 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Unknown (1988). Case-control study of childhood cancer and exposure to 60-Hz magnetic fields.
Show BibTeX
@article{case_control_study_of_childhood_cancer_and_exposure_to_60_hz_magnetic_fields_ce1623,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Case-control study of childhood cancer and exposure to 60-Hz magnetic fields},
  year = {1988},
  doi = {10.1093/OXFORDJOURNALS.AJE.A114943},
  
}
DOI: 10.1093/OXFORDJOURNALS.AJE.A114943PubMed: 3164167

Quick Questions About This Study

The study found increased cancer rates in children living in homes with magnetic fields above 2.0 milligauss under low power use conditions. This threshold resulted in 40% higher overall cancer rates compared to children in lower-exposure homes.
Leukemia showed 90% higher rates, lymphomas 120% higher rates, and soft tissue sarcomas 230% higher rates in children exposed to magnetic fields above 2.0 milligauss compared to unexposed children.
Yes, children living near very high current power lines had 50% higher cancer rates overall compared to those near buried lines, with leukemia rates 190% higher and lymphoma rates 230% higher.
Researchers conducted direct magnetic and electric field measurements inside homes under both low and high power use conditions, plus assessed external power line configurations as surrogates for long-term exposure levels.
No association was found between cancer rates and magnetic fields measured during high power use conditions, suggesting that baseline residential exposure levels may be more relevant than peak exposures.