The carcinogenic potential of non-ionizing radiations: The cases of S-50 Hz MF and 1.8 GHz GSM radiofrequency radiation

PAPER manual 2019 Animal study Effect: harm Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.13215 Evidence Lab

Abstract

The carcinogenic potential of non-ionizing radiations: The cases of S-50 Hz MF and 1.8 GHz GSM radiofrequency radiation Soffritti M, Giuliani L. The carcinogenic potential of non-ionizing radiations: The cases of S-50 Hz MF and 1.8 GHz GSM radiofrequency radiation. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2019 Feb 24. doi: 10.1111/bcpt.13215. Abstract Epidemiological studies have suggested that human exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields from the electric power and to mobile phone radiofrequency electromagnetic fields induce an increased risk of developing malignant tumours. However, no adequate laboratory data, in particular long-term carcinogenicity bioassays to support the epidemiological evidence, have yet been available. This motivated the Ramazzini Institute to embark on a first project of four large life-span carcinogenic bioassays conducted on over 7000 Sprague Dawley rats exposed from prenatal life until natural death to S-50 Hz MF alone or combined with gamma radiation or formaldehyde or aflatoxin B1. Results now available from these studies, which started concurrently, have shown that exposure to Sinusoidal-50 Hz Magnetic Field (S-50 Hz MF) combined with acute exposure to gamma radiation or to chronic administration of formaldehyde in drinking water induces a significantly increased incidence of malignant tumours in males and females. A second project of two large life- span carcinogenic bioassays was conducted on over 3000 Sprague Dawley rats exposed from prenatal life until natural death to 1.8 GHz GSM of mobile phone radio base station, alone or combined with acute exposure to gamma radiation. Early results from the experiment on 1.8 GHz GSM alone show a statistically significant increase in the incidence of heart malignant schwannoma among males exposed at the highest dose. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Animal study

Effect direction

harm

Population

Sprague Dawley rats

Sample size

10000

Exposure

ELF and RF electric power and mobile phone radio base station · 1800 MHz · from prenatal life until natural death

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 74% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

In life-span carcinogenicity bioassays in Sprague Dawley rats, exposure to sinusoidal 50 Hz magnetic field combined with acute gamma radiation or with chronic formaldehyde administration was reported to significantly increase malignant tumour incidence in males and females. In a separate life-span bioassay, early results for 1.8 GHz GSM exposure alone reported a statistically significant increase in heart malignant schwannoma among males at the highest dose.

Outcomes measured

malignant tumours
heart malignant schwannoma

Limitations

Epidemiological evidence is discussed but specific human study details are not provided in the abstract.
For the 1.8 GHz GSM experiment, only early results are described in the abstract.
Exposure metrics (e.g., SAR, field strength, dose levels) are not reported in the abstract.
For 50 Hz MF, increased tumours are described for combined exposures (with gamma radiation or formaldehyde), not clearly for MF alone.

Suggested hubs

occupational-exposure (0.25)
Mentions extremely low-frequency fields from electric power (relevant to power-related exposures), though the study itself is in rats.

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "ELF and RF",
        "source": "electric power and mobile phone radio base station",
        "frequency_mhz": 1800,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "from prenatal life until natural death"
    },
    "population": "Sprague Dawley rats",
    "sample_size": 10000,
    "outcomes": [
        "malignant tumours",
        "heart malignant schwannoma"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In life-span carcinogenicity bioassays in Sprague Dawley rats, exposure to sinusoidal 50 Hz magnetic field combined with acute gamma radiation or with chronic formaldehyde administration was reported to significantly increase malignant tumour incidence in males and females. In a separate life-span bioassay, early results for 1.8 GHz GSM exposure alone reported a statistically significant increase in heart malignant schwannoma among males at the highest dose.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Epidemiological evidence is discussed but specific human study details are not provided in the abstract.",
        "For the 1.8 GHz GSM experiment, only early results are described in the abstract.",
        "Exposure metrics (e.g., SAR, field strength, dose levels) are not reported in the abstract.",
        "For 50 Hz MF, increased tumours are described for combined exposures (with gamma radiation or formaldehyde), not clearly for MF alone."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "non-ionizing radiation",
        "carcinogenicity",
        "extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields",
        "50 Hz magnetic field",
        "GSM",
        "1.8 GHz",
        "radiofrequency",
        "Sprague Dawley rats",
        "life-span bioassay",
        "malignant tumours",
        "schwannoma",
        "gamma radiation",
        "formaldehyde"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "occupational-exposure",
            "weight": 0.25,
            "reason": "Mentions extremely low-frequency fields from electric power (relevant to power-related exposures), though the study itself is in rats."
        }
    ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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