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Cancer morbidity in subjects occupationally exposed to high frequency (radiofrequency and microwave) electromagnetic radiation.

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Szmigielski, S · 1996

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Military personnel exposed to RF radiation showed double the cancer rate, with blood cancers up to 14 times higher than unexposed colleagues.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Polish researchers tracked cancer rates in 128,000 military personnel over 15 years, comparing those occupationally exposed to radiofrequency and microwave radiation with unexposed colleagues. They found the exposed group had more than double the overall cancer rate (119 vs 58 cases per 100,000 annually), with particularly striking increases in blood cancers like leukemia (up to 14 times higher) and brain tumors. This large-scale occupational study provides compelling evidence that RF/microwave exposure significantly increases cancer risk.

Why This Matters

This 1996 Polish military study represents one of the most comprehensive occupational investigations into RF radiation and cancer risk ever conducted. The science demonstrates clear dose-response relationships, with blood cancers showing the most dramatic increases - chronic myelocytic leukemia rates were nearly 14 times higher in exposed personnel. What makes this research particularly significant is its scale and duration: tracking over 100,000 people for 15 years provides statistical power that smaller studies lack. The reality is that occupational RF exposures in military settings are typically much higher than consumer device exposures, but the biological mechanisms that drive these cancer increases don't simply switch off at lower exposure levels. This study adds substantial weight to the growing body of evidence linking RF radiation to cancer, particularly blood cancers and brain tumors - the same cancer types showing concerning trends in recent population studies as wireless technology use has exploded.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Study Details

The aim of this study is to observe Cancer morbidity in subjects occupationally exposed to high frequency (radiofrequency and microwave) electromagnetic radiation

Subjects exposed occupationally to radiofrequencies (RF) and microwaves (MW) were selected from the ...

Morbidity rates in the non-exposed groups of personnel were used as ‘expected’ (E) rates for the exp...

Cite This Study
Szmigielski, S (1996). Cancer morbidity in subjects occupationally exposed to high frequency (radiofrequency and microwave) electromagnetic radiation. Sci Total Environ 180(1):9-17, 1996.
Show BibTeX
@article{szmigielski_1996_cancer_morbidity_in_subjects_2619,
  author = {Szmigielski and S},
  title = {Cancer morbidity in subjects occupationally exposed to high frequency (radiofrequency and microwave) electromagnetic radiation.},
  year = {1996},
  
  url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0048969795049150},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Polish researchers tracked cancer rates in 128,000 military personnel over 15 years, comparing those occupationally exposed to radiofrequency and microwave radiation with unexposed colleagues. They found the exposed group had more than double the overall cancer rate (119 vs 58 cases per 100,000 annually), with particularly striking increases in blood cancers like leukemia (up to 14 times higher) and brain tumors. This large-scale occupational study provides compelling evidence that RF/microwave exposure significantly increases cancer risk.