EMF's, Melatonin and Breast Cancer ...is there a connection?

According to recent statistics, breast cancer in Australia effects one in 14 women, kills one in 27 and is increasing at a rate of 3% annually. These figures reflect a growing community concern and as a consequence, in 1995 the Federal Government allocated $3 million over a 3 year period, solely for breast cancer studies.

It is unfortunate however, that apparently no current Australian research is examining the growing evidence that low level exposures to 50-60 hertz electromagnetic fields (EMF) can reduce melatonins ability to suppress breast cancer cells, thereby increasing susceptibility to breast cancer.

Melatonin is produced at night, darkness triggering its production. Among other things, it acts as a powerful anti-oxidant, eliminating free radicals which are implicated with cancer and other degenerative diseases. Melatonin also dampens the release of oestrogen, prolonged exposure to which may increase the risk of breast cancer.

In 1987 Stephens et al. in the paper Electric power use and breast cancer; a hypothesis. suggested that electromagnetic fields reduce melatonin production by the pineal gland and that melatonin suppresses the development of breast cancer.

Several researchers have also suggested that the possible suppression of melatonin by electromagnetic fields may provide a single mechanism for explaining how a number of different types of cancer could be promoted by EMF's, however this hypothesis has been hotly debated due to the previous failure to replicate several key studies. Replication is a key step in the scientific method for it takes an unproven hypothesis to a significant conclusion which can be acted upon.

The following significant findings of Liburdy and coworkers in 1993 have now been replicated three times. It is this replication and the significant implications it has for the success rate for breast cancer treatment, that calls for immediate action from researchers and oncologists alike. The failure to do so, under the excuse of "more research needs to be done"may well condemn many cancer patients to unnecessary suffering and possible death.

At the 18Th. Annual Meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS), held in Victoria, Canada, June 1996, three studies were presented which have profound implications for the treatment of breast cancer.

1) ELF INHIBITION OF MELATONIN AND TAMOXIFEN ACTION ON MCF-7 CELL PROLIFERATION; FIELD PARAMETERS. J.D. Harland and R.P. Liburdy. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA. This study was designed to define the parameters by which a 12 milli-Gauss (mG) magnetic field (ELF) can block the inhibitory action of melatonin and Tamoxifen, a widely used drug treatment for breast cancer.

They found that a 12 mG field can significantly reduce the growth inhibitory action of melatonin and Tamoxifen on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) in culture.

"Preliminary experiments suggest that at least three days exposure at 12mG is necessary to block the cytostatic action of Tamoxifen (from 27% growth inhibition, p<0.0001; to 5% growth inhibition, p<0.5 ) indicating that prolonged 12mG exposure may be required. This appears to be consistent with a "slow" interaction mechanism. This result also raises the possibility of field effects that may be cell cycle dependent, since measurable effects appear to be delayed or reversible until cell division begins. In addition, all field magnitudes of 12 mG or higher that have been tested thus far (12mG, 20mG, 1 Gauss) have been effective at blocking melatonin."

2) INDEPENDENT REPLICATION OF THE 12-MG. MAGNETIC FIELD EFFECT ON MELATONIN AND MCF-7 CELLS IN VITRO. C.F.Blackman, S.G. Benane, D.E. House and J.P. Blanchard. National Health & Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USA.

This study was specifically designed to attempt to replicate the previous study, with the cooperation of the originating laboratory. The results independently confirmed the previous study's findings. As follows:

1) Melatonin can inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells MCF-7 in culture.

2) A 12 mG 60 Hz magnetic field can completely block melatonin's oncostatic action.

The authors of this study believe these results are particularly significant because these findings represent the first replication of a key magnetic bioeffect, and that these two studies represents a foundation for theorists to generate "testable" hypotheses for biological mechanisms of interaction.

3) INHIBITION OF MELATONIN'S ACTION OF MCF-7 CELL PROLIFERATION BY MAGNETIC FIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH VIDEO DISPLAY TERMINALS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY. S.M.J. Afzal and R.P. Liburdy. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, USA.

This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that ELF and VLF magnetic fields associated with Video Display Terminals (VDT's) influence human breast cancer cell growth in vitro by altering melatonin's natural oncostatic activity. This hypothesis was based on the findings of the two previously mentioned studies.

The conclusions of this study appear to suggest that 12 mG VDT magnetic fields also inhibit the oncostatic action of melatonin in vitro and that the magnetic field component was the operative factor in the 12 mG 60 Hz exposures.

It does not necessarily mean that these in vitro study conclusions can be applied to actual human breast cancer patients. However in light of these three studies there should be concern and the need for urgent research, since levels of 12 mG or higher can easily be encountered in homes or the workplace. These levels can be from a wide number of sources, of special concern however, are exposures over an extended time, especially at night. For example, the use of energized electric blankets will normally give exposures over 12 mG.

* (To be continued in next issue)