Journal article

Proximity to overhead power lines and childhood leukaemia: an international pooled analysis.

  • Amoon AT Department of Epidemiology, University of California Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA.
  • Crespi CM Department of Biostatistics, University of California Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA.
  • Ahlbom A Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Bhatnagar M Department of Epidemiology, University of California Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA.
  • Bray I Department of Health and Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, BS16 1QY, UK.
  • Bunch KJ National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
  • Clavel J Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers, CRESS, INSERM, UMR 1153, Paris Descartes University, Villejuif, France.
  • Feychting M Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Hémon D Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers, CRESS, INSERM, UMR 1153, Paris Descartes University, Villejuif, France.
  • Johansen C The Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • Kreis C Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Malagoli C Research Center of Environmental (CREAGEN), Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
  • Marquant F Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers, CRESS, INSERM, UMR 1153, Paris Descartes University, Villejuif, France.
  • Pedersen C The Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • Raaschou-Nielsen O The Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • Röösli M Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.
  • Spycher BD Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Sudan M Department of Epidemiology, University of California Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA.
  • Swanson J National Grid, London, UK.
  • Tittarelli A Cancer Registry Unit, National Cancer Institute, Milan, 20133, Italy.
  • Tuck DM School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
  • Tynes T Department of Occupational Health Surveillance, National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway.
  • Vergara X Department of Epidemiology, University of California Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA.
  • Vinceti M Research Center of Environmental (CREAGEN), Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
  • Wünsch-Filho V Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 01246-904, Brazil.
  • Kheifets L Department of Epidemiology, University of California Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA. kheifets@ucla.edu.
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  • 2018-05-30
Published in:
  • British journal of cancer. - 2018
English BACKGROUND
Although studies have consistently found an association between childhood leukaemia risk and magnetic fields, the associations between childhood leukaemia and distance to overhead power lines have been inconsistent. We pooled data from multiple studies to assess the association with distance and evaluate whether it is due to magnetic fields or other factors associated with distance from lines.


METHODS
We present a pooled analysis combining individual-level data (29,049 cases and 68,231 controls) from 11 record-based studies.


RESULTS
There was no material association between childhood leukaemia and distance to nearest overhead power line of any voltage. Among children living < 50 m from 200 + kV power lines, the adjusted odds ratio for childhood leukaemia was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.92-1.93). The odds ratio was higher among children diagnosed before age 5 years. There was no association with calculated magnetic fields. Odds ratios remained unchanged with adjustment for potential confounders.


CONCLUSIONS
In this first comprehensive pooled analysis of childhood leukaemia and distance to power lines, we found a small and imprecise risk for residences < 50 m of 200 + kV lines that was not explained by high magnetic fields. Reasons for the increased risk, found in this and many other studies, remains to be elucidated.
Language
  • English
Open access status
hybrid
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Persistent URL
https://sonar.ch/global/documents/279431
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