Subject: Powerlines & Cancer FAQs 0/6

From: [email-masked] (John Moulder)
Date: 6 Jul 1994 19:42:20 GMT

FAQs on Power-Frequency Fields and Cancer

This 6-part FAQ sheet was posted to sci.med.physics, sci.answers, and
news.answers on 6-Jul-94.  

The primary anonymous FTP archive is:
cdmas.crc.mcw.edu/pub/powerlines_and_cancer
This archive contains both the posted 6-part version and a complete 1-part
version.

The FAQ sheet will be archived, after varying intervals, in the following
places:

Anonymous FTP:
"rtfm.mit.edu"
Directory: /pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/powerlines-cancer-FAQ
Files: part1, part2,... part6

E-mail server:
[email-masked]
-To get the current FAQ you would send the following message
   send /pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/part1
   . . . 
   send /pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/part6

On GEnie in the library of the Space and Science Roundtable (M460;3). The
file is called EMF-FAQ.ZIP.

On World Wide Web at:
http://archive.xrt.upenn.edu/0h/faq/powerline_faq
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/powerlines-cancer-FAQ

** Revision notes **
v2.6 (7-July-94) Reorganized introduction.  Edited and shortened biophysics
section, and replaced some older dosimetry references.  Expanded and
reorganized the lab studies section (Questions 16 through 18) to reflect
the newer models of carcinogenicity (multi-step vs initiation/promotion)
and to cover additional studies (G4,G14,G28,G29, H5,H12,H13).  Expanded the
section on bioeffects (Question 18A) and added detailed coverage of Adair's
analysis of the biophysics (Question 18B).  Expanded the review of new
occupational studies (Question 19), added a section on breast cancer
(Question 19C), and included new studies
(B6,C12,D3,D4,D5,D6,D7,D16,D17,D18,D19).  Expanded the introduction to the
Hill criteria (Question 20).  Expanded discussion of PCBs and herbicides,
and added discussion of ozone to the potential confounders section
(Question 21B).  Added question on ELF sources other than power frequency
fields (Question 31).

Table of Contents:

Part2
1) Why is there a concern about powerlines and cancer?
2) What is the difference between the electromagnetic (EM) energy
associated with power lines and other forms of EM energy such as microwaves
or x-rays?
3) Why do different types of EM sources produce different biological
effects?
4) What is difference between EM radiation and EM fields?
5) Do power lines produce EM radiation?
6) How do ionizing EM sources cause biological effects?
7) How do RF, MW, visible light, and IR light sources cause biological
effects?
8) How do the power-frequency EM fields cause biological effects?
9) Do non-ionizing EM sources cause non-thermal as well as thermal effects?
10) What sort of power-frequency fields are common in residences and
workplaces?
11) Can power-frequency fields in homes and workplaces be reduced?
12) What is known about the relationship between powerline corridors and
cancer rates?
13) How big is the "cancer risk" associated with living next to a
powerline?
14) How close do you have to be to a power line to be considered exposed to
power-frequency magnetic fields?
15) What is known about the relationship between "electrical occupations"
and cancer rates?

Part3
16) What do laboratory studies tell us about power-frequency fields and
cancer?
    16A) Are power-frequency fields genotoxic? 
    16B) Are power-frequency magnetic fields cancer promoters? 
    16C) Do power-frequency magnetic fields enhance the effects of other
    genotoxic agents?
17) How do laboratory studies of the effects of power-frequency fields on
cell growth, immune function, and melatonin relate to the question of
cancer risk?
18) Do power-frequency fields show any effects at all in laboratory
studies?
19) What about the new "Swedish" study showing a link between power lines
and cancer?
20) What criteria do scientists use to evaluate all the confusing and
contradictory laboratory and epidemiological studies of power-frequency
magnetic fields and cancer?
    20A) Criterion One: How strong is the association between exposure
    to power-frequency fields and the risk of cancer?
    20B) Criterion Two: How consistent are the studies of associations
    between exposure to power-frequency fields and the risk of cancer?
    20C) Criterion Three: Is there a dose-response relationship between
    exposure to power-frequency fields and the risk of cancer?
    20D) Criterion Four: Is there laboratory evidence for an association
    between exposure to power-frequency fields and the risk of cancer?
    20E) Criterion Five: Are there plausible biological mechanisms that
    suggest an association between exposure to power-frequency fields
    and the risk of cancer?
21) If exposure to power-frequency magnetic fields does not explain the
residential and occupations studies which show increased cancer incidence,
what other factors could?
    21A) Could problems with dose assessment affect the validity of the
    epidemiological studies of power lines and cancer?
    21B) Are there other cancer risk factors that could be causing a
    false association between exposure to power-frequency fields and
    cancer?
    21C) Could the epidemiological studies of power lines and cancer be
    biased by the methods used to select control groups?
    21D) Could analysis of the epidemiological studies of power lines
    and cancer be skewed by publication bias?
22) What is the strongest evidence for a connection between power-frequency
fields and cancer?
23) What is the strongest evidence against a connection between
power-frequency fields and cancer?
24) What studies are needed to resolve the cancer-EMF issue?

Part4
25) Is there any evidence that power-frequency fields cause any human
health hazards?
26) What are some good overview articles?
27) Are there exposure guidelines for power-frequency fields?
28) What effect do powerlines have on property values?
29) What equipment do you need to measure power-frequency magnetic fields?
30) How are power-frequency magnetic fields measured?

Part5
A) Recent Reviews of the Biological and Health Effects of Power-Frequency
Fields
B) Reviews of the Epidemiology of Exposure to Power-Frequency Fields
C) Epidemiology of Residential Exposure to Power-Frequency Fields
D) Epidemiology of Occupational Exposure to Power-Frequency Fields
E) Human Studies Related to Power-Frequency Exposure and Cancer
F) Biophysics and Dosimetry of Power-Frequency Fields

Part6
G) Laboratory Studies of Power-Frequency Fields and Cancer
H) Laboratory Studies Indirectly Related to Power-Frequency Fields and
Cancer
J) Laboratory Studies of Power-Frequency Fields and Reproductive Toxicity
K) Reviews of Laboratory Studies of Power-Frequency Fields
L) Miscellaneous Studies
M) Regulations and Standards for Ionizing and Non-ionizing EM Sources.

end: powerlines-cancer-FAQ/part1