Exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields and IARC carcinogen assessment: Risk of Bias preliminary literature assessment for 10 key characteristics of human carcinogens

Authors: Simk� M, Repacholi MH, Foster KR, Mattsson MO, Croft RJ, Scarfi MR, Vijayalaxmi

Year: 2025 May 27

Category: Epidemiology

Journal: Mutat Res Rev Mutat Res

DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2025.108545

URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S138357422500016X

Abstract

Overview

This study offers the first assessment of whether radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposures, within levels recommended by ICNIRP (2020), can influence any of the ten key characteristics (KCs) of human carcinogens as defined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

  • The ten KCs and their relevance to carcinogenesis were defined.
  • The review covered 159 articles, including in vivo and in vitro studies related to the KCs, extracting relevant exposure and experimental data for analysis.
  • Risk of bias (RoB) analysis was conducted using six criteria.
  • Studies on the KCs of genotoxicity or oxidative stress were excluded due to recent systematic reviews on those topics, though their conclusions were referenced.
  • Among the remaining eight KCs, 119 in vitro and 40 in vivo measurements were identified as of June 30, 2023, with 38% reporting statistically significant effects of exposure.

Findings

  • There is a strong negative association between study quality and the likelihood of reporting RF-EMF effects.
  • Reported effects were observed across all frequency ranges, exposure levels, and biological endpoints, with no clear pattern in exposure parameters.
  • KC10 (related to cell proliferation, cell death, or nutrient supply) had enough studies for further analysis; other KCs lacked sufficient studies and had diverse endpoints.
  • Some relatively high-quality studies with positive findings highlight the need for targeted follow-up research.
  • The overall heterogeneity and poor quality of studies reinforce the demand for high-quality research, conforming to standards such as those by the OECD.

Limitations

  • The review was not PRISMA-compliant and did not fully adhere to standard guidelines for systematic or scoping reviews.
  • Authors emphasize the necessity for comprehensive scoping and systematic reviews in the future.

Conclusion

  • The current diversity and quality of experimental data make high-confidence conclusions impossible for most KCs.
  • Consistently, there is a recognized need for much higher quality RF-EMF bioeffects studies on these KCs.
  • Notably, the few statistically significant results from the highest quality studies should be closely examined and replicated in future work under stringent standards such as GLP and OHAT recommendations.
  • Systematic reviews encountering low-quality studies risk drawing weak conclusions, which underscores the importance of improving research standards in this field.

⚠️ Important Connection: This study underlines the potential association between RF-EMF exposure and carcinogenic key characteristics, reflecting a possible health risk and reinforcing the necessity for continued caution and high-quality research into the safety of electromagnetic fields.

radiofrequency electromagnetic fields carcinogens IARC risk of bias bioeffects study quality
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