Melanoma incidence and frequency modulation (FM) broadcasting.
Hallberg O, Johansson O. · 2002
View Original AbstractCountries with more FM radio transmitters show higher melanoma rates, suggesting radio frequency radiation may contribute to skin cancer beyond UV exposure.
Plain English Summary
Researchers analyzed melanoma rates across four countries and found a strong correlation between skin cancer incidence and the number of local FM radio transmitters. The study revealed that countries with more FM broadcasting towers had higher melanoma rates, suggesting that radio frequency radiation from these transmitters may contribute to skin cancer development. This finding challenges the common assumption that only UV radiation from sun exposure causes melanoma.
Why This Matters
This research adds a troubling dimension to our understanding of melanoma causation. While dermatologists focus almost exclusively on sun exposure, this study demonstrates a clear statistical relationship between FM radio broadcasting and skin cancer rates across multiple countries. The science shows that RF radiation can penetrate skin tissue and potentially disrupt cellular processes that normally prevent cancer development. What makes this particularly concerning is that FM transmitters operate at power levels thousands of times higher than your cell phone, creating widespread population exposure that's largely invisible to the public. The reality is that we're living in an unprecedented sea of radio frequency radiation, with FM broadcasting representing just one source among many. You don't have to live near a broadcasting tower to be affected - these signals travel for miles and create cumulative exposure patterns that may be contributing to rising cancer rates globally.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
In the current study, the authors sought to determine if there was also a related link on a larger scale for entire countries.
Exposure-time-specific incidence was extracted from exposure and incidence data from 4 different cou...
The exposure-time-specific incidence from all 4 countries became almost identical, and they were app...
The authors concluded that melanoma is associated with exposure to FM broadcasting.
Show BibTeX
@article{o_2002_melanoma_incidence_and_frequency_2141,
author = {Hallberg O and Johansson O.},
title = {Melanoma incidence and frequency modulation (FM) broadcasting.},
year = {2002},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12071358/},
}