title: Parental occupational exposures to electromagnetic fields and radiation and the incidence of neuroblastoma in offspring.
abstract: We examined parental occupational exposures to electromagnetic fields and radiation and the incidence of neuroblastoma in offspring. Cases were 538 children diagnosed with neuroblastoma between 1992 and 1994 in the United States or Canada. Age-matched controls were selected by random-digit dialing. Occupational exposures to electrical equipment and radiation sources were classified by an industrial hygienist, and average exposures to extremely low frequency magnetic fields were estimated using a job exposure matrix. Maternal exposure to a broad grouping of sources that produce radiofrequency radiation was associated with an increased incidence of neuroblastoma (odds ratio = 2.8; 95% confidence interval = 0.9-8.7). Paternal exposure to battery-powered forklifts was positively associated with neuroblastoma (odds ratio = 1.6; 95% confidence interval = 0.8-3.2), as were some types of equipment that emit radiofrequency radiation (odds ratios congruent with 2.0); however, the broad groupings of sources that produce ELF fields, radiofrequency radiation, or ionizing radiation were not associated with neuroblastoma. Paternal average extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure >0.4 microTesla was weakly associated with neuroblastoma (odds ratio = 1.6; 95% confidence interval = 0.9-2.8), whereas maternal exposure was not. Overall, there was scant supportive evidence of strong associations between parental exposures in electromagnetic spectrum and neuroblastoma in offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. deroosa@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: De Roos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Teschke
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Savitz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Poole
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grufferman
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Olshan
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D018812:Paternal Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011827:Radiation; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology