Epidemiological study (observational study)

Occupational and environmental risk factors for brain cancer: a pilot case-control study in France epidem.

By: Spinelli V, Chinot O, Cabaniols C, Giorgi R, Alla P, Lehucher-Michel MP

Published in: Presse Med 2010; 39 (2): e35-e44

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A pilot case-control study was conducted in the southeastern part of France to investigate occupational and environmental risk factors for brain cancer.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor: malignant primary brain tumor

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

- electric field
- static magnetic field
- also other exposures without EMF
- power transmission line
- mobile communications
- mobile phone
- mobile phone base station
- occupational
- residential
- personal

Assessment

questionnaire: cell phone use, duration of the monthly subscription, years of use; computer use; occupational history of exposure to non-ionizing radiation; living near power lines, cell phone base stations, airports and highways
calculation: cumulative cell phone use in hour-year (number of hours of subscription per month multiplied by number of years of use)

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	cell phone use: none
Group 2	cell phone use: < 4 hour-years
Group 3	cell phone use: 4 - 36 hour-years
Group 4	cell phone use: > 36 hour-years
Reference group 5	leisure work with a computer in the past 5 years: none
Group 6	leisure work with a computer in the past 5 years: < 5 h/week
Group 7	leisure work with a computer in the past 5 years: ≥ 5 h/week
Reference group 8	occupational work with a computer in the past 5 years: none
Group 9	occupational work with a computer in the past 5 years: < 4 h/week
Group 10	occupational work with a computer in the past 5 years: ≥ 4 h/week
Group 11	occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields
Group 12	occupational exposure to microwave frequency
Group 13	residence in a distance of < 500 m to power lines
Group 14	resicence in a distance of < 500 m to cell phone towers

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: ≥ 18 years
Observation period: January - December 2005
Study location: France (region of Marseilles and Toulon)

Case group

Characteristics: brain tumor
Data source: all hospitals serving as principal reference centers for brain cancer in western part of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur
Exclusion criteria: not residing in the study region

Control group

patients of the neurosurgery departments hospitalized for reasons unrelated to cancer
Selection:
- hospital-based
Matching:
- sex
- age
- hospital
- case:control = 1:1
Exclusion criteria: not residing in the study region

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	162	-
Participants	122	122

Statistical analysis method:

unconditional logistic regression

(adjustment:

)

Results (acc. to author)

No association was found between cellular phone use and brain tumor. The exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields during the use of computers showed overall no association, only in the subgroup of occupational use less than 4 hours per day a statistically signicant increased risk was observed. Residing in a distance of less than 500 m to cell phone base stations was associated with statistically signicant decreased risk for brain tumor.

Limitations (acc. to author)

The small study sample and recall bias related to having brain tumor could have affected the assessment of the risk factors.

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

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