Power Lines and Cancer -- To Move or Not to Move

May 30, 2007 — -- A recent study out of Switzerland indicates there might be an increased risk of certain blood cancers in people with prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields, like those generated from high-voltage power lines.

If you live in a house near one of these high-voltage power lines, a study like this one might make you wonder whether you should move.

But based on what we know now, I don't think that's necessary. We can never say there is no risk, but we can say that the risk appears to be extremely small.

The results of studies like this add a bit more to our knowledge of potential harmful environmental exposures, but they should also be seen in conjunction with the results of hundreds of studies that have gone before. It cannot be seen as a definitive call to action in and of itself.

The current study followed more than 20,000 Swiss railway workers over a period of 30 years. True, that represents a lot of people over a long period of time.

However, the problem with many epidemiological studies, like this one, is that it is difficult to have an absolute control group of people to compare results with. The researchers compared the incidence of different cancers of workers with a high amount of electromagnetic field exposure to those workers with lower exposures.

These studies aren't like those that have identified definitive links between an exposure and a disease — like those involving smoking and lung cancer. In those studies, we can actually measure the damage done to lung tissue as a direct result of smoking. But usually it's very difficult for the conclusions of an epidemiological study to rise to the level of controlled studies in determining public policy.

Remember the recent scare about coffee and increases risk of pancreatic cancer? Or the always-simmering issue of cell phone use and brain tumors?

As far as I can tell, none of us have turned in our cell phones. In our own minds, we've decided that any links to cell phone use and brain cancer have not been proven definitively. While we can't say that there is absolutely no risk in using cell phones, individuals have determined on their own that the potential risks appear to be quite small and are outweighed by the benefits.