Proximity to overhead power lines and childhood leukemia: An international pooled analysis

Journal article

Background: While studies have consistently found an association between childhood leukemia risk and magnetic fields, the associations between childhood leukemia and distance to overhead power lines have been inconsistent. We pooled data from multiple studies to assess the association with distance and evaluate whether it is due to magnetic fields or other factors associated with distance from lines.

Methods: We present a pooled analysis combining individual-level data (29,049 cases and 68,231 controls) from 11 record-based studies.

Results: There was no material association between childhood leukemia and distance to nearest overhead power line of any voltage. Among children living <50 m from 200+ kilovolt power lines, the adjusted odds ratio for childhood leukemia was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.92-1.93). The odds ratio was higher among children diagnosed before age 5 years. There was no association with calculated magnetic fields. Odds ratios remained unchanged with adjustment for potential confounders. Conclusion:

In this first comprehensive pooled analysis of childhood leukemia and distance to power lines, we found a small and imprecise risk for residences <50 m of 200+ kilovolt lines that was not explained by high magnetic fields. Reasons for the increased risk, found in this and many other studies, remains to be elucidated.

Authors: Amoon, AT; Crespi, CM; Ahlbom, A; Bhatnagar, M; Bray, I

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Cancer Research UK
• Journal: British Journal of Cancer
• Volume: 119
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 364–373
• Publication date: 2018-05-29
• Acceptance date: 2018-04-06
• DOI: 10.1038/s41416-018-0097-7
• EISSN: 1532-1827
• ISSN: 0007-0920
• Keywords: leukemia; distance; meta-analysis; magnetic fields; child; pooled analysis