Parental occupational exposure to low-frequency magnetic fields and risk of leukemia in offspring: Findings from Childhood Leukemia International Consortium

Abstract

Overview

This research examines the potential risk of children developing leukemia due to parental occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF).

Objectives

• Evaluate the relationship between parental occupational exposure to ELF-MF and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in offspring.
• Analyze this relationship using data from the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium.

Methods

Data was aggregated from 11 case-control studies, encompassing 9,723 cases of childhood leukemia and 17,099 controls. Exposure was assessed using a job-exposure matrix specific to ELF-MF levels, with logistic regression models employed across pooled and meta-analytic assessments.

Findings

No significant associations were found between parental occupational ELF-MF exposure and the incidence of ALL or AML in their children:

• Paternal exposure >0.2 µT at conception had ORs of 1.04 for ALL and 1.06 for AML.
• Maternal exposure during pregnancy had ORs of 1.00 for ALL and 0.85 for AML.

No trends indicating increased risks with higher levels of exposure were observed.

Conclusion

The comprehensive international dataset and robust assessment method reveal no direct link between parental occupational ELF-MF exposure and increased risk of childhood leukemia. However, the potential for exposure misclassification suggests caution should be exercised in interpreting these findings.