RE: "CASE-CONTROL STUDY OF CHILDHOOD CANCER AND EXPOSURE TO 60-HZ MAGNETIC FIELDS"

Recent publications renewed interest in assessing potential health risks for subjects living close to transmission lines. This study aimed at evaluating the association of both distance of home address to the nearest overhead transmission line and of the calculated magnetic fields from the power lines and mortality from leukemia, brain cancer, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We carried out a death certificate based case-control study accessing adult mortality in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, in Brazil. Analysis included 1,857 cases of leukemia, 2,357 of brain cancer, 367 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and 4,706 as controls. An increased risk for mortality from leukemia among adults living at closer distances to transmission lines compared to those living further then 400 m was found. Risk was higher for subjects that lived within 50 m from power lines (OR=1.47; 95% CI=0.99-2.18). Similarly, a small increase in leukemia mortality was observed among adults living in houses with higher calculated magnetic fields (OR=1.61; 95% CI=0.91-2.86 for those exposed to magnetic fields >0.3 µT). No increase was seen for brain tumours or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Our findings are suggestive of a higher risk for leukemia among subjects living closer to transmission lines, and for those living at homes with higher calculated magnetic fields, although the risk was limited to lower voltage lines.

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Childhood Leukemia and 50 Hz Magnetic Fields: Findings from the Italian SETIL Case-Control Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph120202184 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 2184-2204 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Alberto Salvan ◽

Alessandra Ranucci ◽

Susanna Lagorio ◽

Corrado Magnani ◽

on behalf of the SETIL Research Group

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Fields ◽

Childhood Leukemia ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Case Control ◽

Control Study

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Risk Factors of Childhood Cancer in Armenia: A Case-Control Study

10.22541/au.163354407.79634233/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Manushak Avagyan ◽

Lusine Abrahamyan ◽

Anahit Demirchyan

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Folic Acid ◽

Childhood Cancer ◽

Malignant Disease ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Case Control ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Induced Abortions ◽

Control Study

Background: Childhood cancer (CC) is a leading cause of death among children aged 0-19 years worldwide. Each year, 400,000 new cases of CC are diagnosed globally. Given the between-country differences in CC incidence rates, types and trends, this study aimed to identify possible risk factors for CC in Armenia. Methods: We used a case-control study design by enrolling participants from the only specialized pediatric hematology and oncology center in Armenia. Cases included patients ≤14 years old diagnosed and treated with a malignant disease between 2017-2020 in the centre. Controls included patients diagnosed and treated in the center during the same period for a non-malignant disease. We conducted telephone interviews with mothers of cases and controls. Independent risk factors of cancer were identified using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: Overall, 234 participants (117 cases, 117 controls) were included in the study. Based on the fitted model, maternal usage of folic acid during pregnancy was protective against CC, almost twice decreasing its odds (OR=0.54; 95% CI: 0.31-0.94). On the contrary, experiencing horrifying/terrifying event(s) during pregnancy (OR=2.19; 95% CI: 1.18-4.07) and having induced abortions before getting pregnant with the given child (OR=2.94; 95% CI: 1.45-5.96) were associated with higher odds for a child to develop cancer. Conclusion: This study identified three important modifiable risk factors for CC in Armenia, all related to the period of pregnancy. The findings indicate the importance of education on stress reduction during pregnancy, the use of folic acid prior to and during pregnancy, and avoidance of induced abortions.

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