Biological effects of power-frequency fields as they relate to carcinogenesis

There is a widespread public perception that exposure to electricity is linked to cancer. The public concern stems largely from epidemiological studies which appear to show a relationship between cancer incidence and exposure to power-frequency electromagnetic fields. This review will discuss the biophysics of power-frequency electromagnetic fields as it relates to biological effects, summarize the current state of the cancer epidemiology, and then concentrate on the laboratory studies that are relevant to addressing the possibility that power-frequency fields are carcinogenic. Review of the epidemiological evidence shows that the association between exposure to power-frequency fields and cancer is weak and inconsistent, and generally fails to show a dose-response relationship. The laboratory studies of power-frequency fields show little evidence of the type of effects on cells or animals that point towards power-frequency fields causing or contributing to cancer. Finally, from what is known about the biophysics of power-frequency fields, there is no reason to even suspect that they would cause or contribute to cancer. Application of "Hill's criteria" to epidemiological and laboratory studies shows that the evidence for a causal association between exposure to power-frequency fields and the incidence of cancer is weak.