Epidemiological study (observational study)

Childhood cancer and magnetic fields from high-voltage power lines in England and Wales: a case-control study epidem.

By: Kroll ME, Swanson J, Vincent TJ, Draper GJ

Published in: Br J Cancer 2010; 103 (7): 1122-1127

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The case-control study published by Draper et al (2005) investigating the association between childhood cancer and magnetic fields from power lines was reanalyzed applying another method of exposure assessment. In the cited study, exposure assessment was based on the distance from home address at birth to power lines whereas in the present study the magnetic fields of the home address at birth were calculated for each child.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(relative risk (RR))

Exposure

Assessment

calculation: estimate of the magnetic field at the home address at birth based on information of the National Grid about power lines (e.g., phase, current)

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	magnetic field estimate of home address at birth: < 0.1 µT
Group 2	magnetic field estimate of home address at birth: 0.1 - < 0.2 µT
Group 3	magnetic field estimate of home address at birth: 0.2 - < 0.4 µT
Group 4	magnetic field estimate of home address at birth: ≥ 0.4 µT

Population

Group:
- children
Age: 0–14 years
Observation period: 1962-1995
Study location: UK (England, Wales)

Case group

Characteristics: cancer in children born 1962-1995
Data source: National Registry of Childhood Tumours

Control group

Selection:
- registry-based
Matching:
- sex
- date of birth within 6 months, birth registration district
- case:control = 1:1

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	31,273	-
Evaluable	28,968	28,968

Other:

9653 children with leukemia, 6584 children with CNS/brain tumors, and 12731 children with other types of cancer

Statistical analysis method:

conditional logistic regression

Results (acc. to author)

The calculated magnetic fields of 57704 out of 58162 homes were below 0.1 µT.
The estimated relative risk for each 0.2 µT increase in magnetic field was 1.14 for leukaemia (CI 0.57-2.32; 8 cases and 6 controls ), 0.80 for CNS/brain tumors (CI 0.43-1.51; 4 cases and 7 controls), and 1.34 for other cancers (CI 0.84-2.15; 11 cases and 9 controls).
Although not statistically significant, the results slightly strengthen the existing evidence for an association between exposure to magnetic fields and childhood leukaemia. However, exposure to magnetic fields during the year of birth is extremely unlikely to be the whole cause of apparent increase in childhood leukaemia risk observed in the previous case-control study based on the distance of the birth address from power lines. The authors emphasize that very few homes in Britain are exposed to high magnetic fields from power lines. Assuming causality, the estimated attributable risk is below one case of childhood leukemia per year.

Study funded by

Department of Health, UK
Scottish Executive/Scottish Ministers, UK
United Kingdom Department of Health Radiation Protection Programme

Comments on this article

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