title: Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields and sex-differential risk of uveal melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The association between occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) and the risk of uveal melanoma was investigated in a case-control study in nine European countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incident cases of uveal melanoma and population as well as hospital controls were included and frequency matched by country, 5-year birth cohort and sex. Subjects were asked whether they had worked close to high-voltage electrical transmission installations, computer screens and various electrical machines, or in complex electrical environments. Measurements of two Scandinavian job-exposure matrices were applied to estimate lifelong cumulative EMF exposure. Unconditional logistic regression analyses, stratified by sex and eye colour were calculated, adjusting for several potential confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  293 patients with uveal melanoma and 3198 control subjects were interviewed. Women exposed to electrical transmission installations showed elevated risks (OR 5.81, 95% CI 1.72 to 19.66). Positive associations with exposure to control rooms were seen among men and women, but most risk increases were restricted to subjects with dark iris colour. Application of published EMF measurements revealed stronger risk increases among women compared to men. Again, elevated risks were restricted to subjects with dark eye colour.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although based on a low prevalence of exposure to potential occupational sources of EMF, our data indicate that exposed dark-eyed women may be at particular risk for uveal melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Bremen Institute for Prevention Research and Social Medicine, Bremen, Germany. behrens@bips.uni-bremen.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Behrens
authors.forename: Elsebeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lynge
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cree
authors.forename: Svend
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabroe
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: Noemia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Afonso
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guénel
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merletti
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morales-Suarez-Varela
authors.forename: Aivars
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stengrevics
authors.forename: Joëlle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Févotte
authors.forename: Agustin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Llopis-González
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gorini
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sharkova
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hardell
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahrens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005127:Eye Color; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000098943:Uveal Melanoma