Zusammenfassung
Die Einwirkung niederfrequenter elektromagnetischer Felder ist eine unvermeidliche
Begleiterscheinung der Nutzung elektrischer Energie. Da in westlichen Ländern das
Mammakarzinom parallel zu Industrialisierung und Elektrifizierung zur häufigsten Krebserkrankung
der Frau wurde, wird ein kausaler Zusammenhang mit der Einwirkung elektromagnetischer
Felder (EMF) kontrovers diskutiert. Obwohl es ernst zu nehmende epidemiologische Hinweise
auf kanzerogene/leukämogene Effekte von elektromagnetischen Feldern bei Kindern gibt,
fehlt über weite Strecken noch ein allgemein akzeptiertes pathophysiologisches Konzept.
Die vorliegende Übersicht stellt den aktuellen Wissensstand zur Frage der Brustkrebsförderung
durch EMF anhand epidemiologischer Untersuchungsergebnisse dar. Arbeitsmedizinisch
basierte Studien, die eine über die Hintergrundbelastung hinausgehende Exposition
unterstellen, weisen durchaus auf ein mögliches Brustkrebsrisiko durch EMF-Exposition
hin. Aufgrund der ubiquitären Verbreitung schwacher niederfrequenter Magnetfelder
im häuslichen Bereich ist die weitere Untersuchung möglicher Zusammenhänge in diesem
Umfeld von besonderer präventionsmedizinischer Relevanz. Da im häuslichen Bereich
die Datenlage überaus widersprüchlich ist, wäre hierzu ein speziell auf die Fragestellung
zugeschnittenes Versuchsdesign vonnöten. In Ermangelung solcher großer Studien, die
in der Lage sind, auch geringere Unterschiede in den verschiedenen Untersuchungsgruppen
sicher nachzuweisen, ist weitere Grundlagenforschung erforderlich, um zur mechanistischen
Hypothesenbildung bzw. -prüfung beizutragen.
Abstract
Exposure to low-frequency electromagnetic fields is an ubiquitous and unavoidable
side effect of the use of electrical power. The ascent of breast cancer as the most
common malignancy in women has paralleled industrialization and electrification, leading
to speculation as to a causal relationship with exposure to electromagnetic fields.
Epidemiologic data indicate carcinogenic and leukemogenic effects of exposure to electromagnetic
fields in children, but no lucid pathophysiologic concept has been proposed. We review
the epidemiologic studies exploring a link between exposure to electromagnetic fields
and breast cancer. Epidemiologic studies of beyond-background exposure to EMF at the
workplace suggest an elevated risk of breast cancer in female workers. From a preventive
medicine standpoint, the ubiquitous weak low-frequency EMF in domestic settings warrants
further studies. A special epidemiologic study design would be required to clarify
the conflicting findings of existing studies. There are no studies large enough to
have the statistical power to detect small differences in the various groups. Further
research is needed to generate mechanistic hypotheses and test them experimentally.
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PD Dr. V. Hanf
Oberarzt der UFK Ulm
Prittwitzstraße 43
89075 Ulm
eMail: volker.hanf@medizin.uni-ulm.de
