Occupational exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields and brain tumor risk: <scp>Application</scp> of the <scp>INTEROCC</scp> job‐exposure matrix
Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF, 100 kHz to 300 GHz) are classified by IARC as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). This study evaluates the potential association between occupational RF-EMF exposure and brain tumor risk, utilizing for the first time, a RF-EMF job-exposure matrix (RF-JEM) developed in the multi-country INTEROCC case-control study. Cumulative and time-weighted average (TWA) occupational RF-EMF exposures were estimated for study participants based on lifetime job histories linked to the RF-JEM using three different methods: (1) by considering RF-EMF intensity among all exposed jobs, (2) by considering RF-EMF intensity among jobs with an exposure prevalence ≥ the median exposure prevalence of all exposed jobs, and (3) by considering RF-EMF intensity of jobs of participants who reported RF-EMF source use. Stratified conditional logistic regression models were used, considering various lag periods and exposure time windows defined a priori. Generally, no clear associations were found for glioma or meningioma risk. However, some statistically significant positive associations were observed including in the highest exposure categories for glioma for cumulative and TWA exposure in the 1- to 4-year time window for electric fields (E) in the first JEM application method (odds ratios [ORs] = 1.36, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.08, 1.72 and 1.27, 95% CI 1.01, 1.59, respectively), as well as for meningioma for cumulative exposure in the 5- to 9-year time window for electric fields (E) in the third JEM application method (OR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.11, 4.78). We did not identify convincing associations between occupational RF-EMF exposure and risk of glioma or meningioma.
Authors
- Marie‐Élise Parent (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4196-3773)
- Isabelle Baldi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0738-2673)
- Elisabeth Cardis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0999-6839)
- Javier Vila (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1566-3256)
- Alistair Woodward (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5425-6018)
- Michelle C. Turner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6431-1997)
- Joachim Schüz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9687-2134)
- Maxime Turuban (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3172-2001)
- Martie van Tongeren
- Brigitte Schlehofer
- Jack Siemiatycki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9042-8582)
- Geza Benke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9019-9364)
- Daniel Krewski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0533-5734)
- Hans Kromhout (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4233-1890)
- Frank de Vocht (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3631-627X)
- Miquel Vallbona‐Vistós (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3504-1109)
- Lesley Richardson
- Siegal Sadetzki
Institutions
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- University of Auckland (NZ)
- Inserm (FR)
- Tel Aviv University (IL)
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ES)
- Utrecht University (NL)
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (GB)
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux (FR)
- University of Bristol (GB)
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (CA)
- Bordeaux Population Health (FR)
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ES)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (ES)
- NIHR Research Delivery Network (GB)
- Environmental Protection Agency (IE)
- Centre international de recherche sur le cancer (FR)
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West (GB)
- Monash University (AU)
- Université de Montréal (CA)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Cancer
- Published
- 2024-09-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.35182
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.99
Funders
- World Health Organization
- Centre International de Recherche sur le Cancer
- Cancer Research Society
- Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- Health and Safety Executive
- Cancer Society of New Zealand
- Wellington Medical Research Foundation
- Waikato Medical Research Foundation
- Union for International Cancer Control
- Canada Research Chairs
- Generalitat de Catalunya
- Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
- Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Environnement et du Travail
- Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
- Medical Research Council
- National Health and Medical Research Council
- Cancer Council Victoria
- Cancer Council NSW
- Health Research Council of New Zealand
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación
- National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration West
- European Social Fund