Archive-name: powerlines-cancer-FAQ/part1
Last-modified: 1994/7/4
Version: 2.6
Maintainer: jmoulder@its.mcw.edu

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Power-Frequency Fields and Cancer --
Introduction

** TABLE OF CONTENTS **

* Part2 *
Questions and Answers
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 *
Questions and Answers (continued)
16) Do laboratory studies indicate that power-frequency fields can cause
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) Do laboratory studies indicate that power-frequency fields have any
biological effects that might be relevant to cancer?
    17A) How do laboratory studies of the effects of power-frequency
    fields on cell growth relate to the question of cancer risk?
    17B) How do laboratory studies of the effects of power-frequency
    fields on immune function relate to the question of cancer risk?
    17C) How do laboratory studies of the effects of power-frequency
    fields on the pineal gland and melatonin relate to the question of
    cancer risk?
18) Do power-frequency fields show any reproducible biological effects in
laboratory studies?
    18A) Do power-frequency fields of the intensity encountered in
    occupational and residential settings show reproducible biological
    effects?
    18B)  Are there known mechanisms by which power-frequency fields of
    the intensity encountered in occupational and residential settings
    could cause biological effects?
19) What about the "new studies" showing a link between power lines and
cancer?
    19A) What about the new "Swedish" study showing a link between power
    lines and cancer?
    19B) What about the new "Swedish" study showing a link between
    occupational exposure to power-frequency fields and cancer?
    19C) What about the new studies showing a link between electrical
    occupation and breast 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?

* Part4 *
Questions and Answers (continued)
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?
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?
31) Do the issues discussed in this FAQ sheet apply to EM fields other than
power-frequency fields?

* Part5 *
Annotated Bibliography
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 *
Annotated Bibliography (continued)
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.


** SOURCES **
* Note: This FAQ sheet is posted monthly to sci.med.physics, sci.answers
and news.answers.  The FAQ sheet is archived at many sites, but not all
archives are up-to-date.  In general the news.answers archive is more
likely to be up-to-date than the sci.answers or sci.med.physics archives.

* 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.

* Available by anonymous FTP or gopher from:
rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/powerlines-cancer-FAQ

* Available on numerous gopher servers worldwide, usually in a directory
like: /pub/usenet/FAQs/news.answers 

* Available by e-mail from:  mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu
-to get you the directory indicating when I last updated, send the
following message:
   send /pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/powerlines-cancer-FAQ
-To get the current FAQ send the following messages
   send /pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/part1
   . . . 
   send /pub/usenet-by-group/news.answers/powerlines-cancer-FAQ/part6

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

* Available 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).


** Acknowledgments **
This FAQ sheet owes much to the many readers of sci.med.physics who have
sent me comments and suggestions, including:
kfoster@eniac.seas.upenn.edu -- EMF biophysics sections
gary%ke4zv.uucp@mathcs.emory.edu -- adding a quantum approach
aa2h@virginia.edu -- suggestions on thermal effects and confounders
p.farrell@trl.oz.au -- SI units, suggesting the pro/con section
drchambe@tekig5.pen.tek.com -- a start on the property value question
gemyers@anl.gov -- how to measure fields sections
spencer@radonc.duke.edu -- find and correcting numerous typos

** Notice  **
This FAQ is Copyright (C) by John Moulder and the Medical College of
Wisconsin, and is made available as a service to the Internet community. 
Permission is granted to copy and redistribute this document electronically
as long as it is unmodified.  Notification of such redistribution would be
appreciated.  This FAQ may not be sold in any medium, including electronic,
CD-ROM, or database, or published in print, without the explicit, written
permission of John Moulder.
 
end: powerlines-cancer-FAQ/part1
