Does Electromagnetic Radiation Cause Cancer?

Studies have proven inconclusive but it may accelerate the growth of cancer. Check out:

www.cancerhelp.org.uk...

I would like to see a study that provides a balanced view of electromagnetic radiation as it may prevent an/or cure diseases and illnesses that we are aware of and unaware of.

Mod edit: Fixed Link.



[edit on 8/1/2006 by Mirthful Me]

I found some interesting info. IMHO...I have never thought there was anything to this. That this type of radiation wasn't harmful to humans, but the information I just located shows otherwise.

However, a different view comes from science from reading the people who have researched what happens to cells in laboratories in repeatable experiments. For example, a laboratory took human breast cancer cells, and exposed them to an infusion of melatonin, which is a natural neurohormone which we all have, which helps us sleep at night. Then they applied a very low level of varying electric field, 50 cycles field, and the oncostatic effect of melatonin was totally eliminated.

Every night when we go to sleep our melatonin levels rise and melatonin goes through our blood and cleans our cells up. For example, it scavenges out free radicals which are highly damaging chemicals. If the free radicals persist for very long they damage DNA and cause damaged cells and are shown to be carcinogenic. Melatonin is one of those agents that cleans us up every night to reduce the possibility that cells will become carcinogenic.

That experiment shows that electromagnetic radiation from power lines and appliances can reduce the melatonin cleaning-up effect on human breast cancer cells. The experiment was repeated in three other laboratories. It gave a very reliable and repeatable result. The strength of the signal they used was two to twelve milligauss - a very low level magnetic field magnitude in that wave.

It appears the electromagnetic radiation eliminates the good effects melatonin has on our bodies. I knew melatonin helps us sleep, but I did not know that it cleans our blood cells at night also.

more info here: www.nzine.co.nz...

Do some electromagnetic waves cure cancer?

I don't know, maybe some do some don't.


AA

The way to see if electromagnetic rdiation causes cancer is to see if people that have had MRIs have a higher incidence of cancer.

maybe some sort of radiation does increase health in the human body. could be,..... or not could be pf :p

now, isn't our energy the surrounded by natural energy, indeed electromagnetic also, not? in nature.

so don't try to tell me this won't work, don't we.

hm

:-)


AA

Light is electro magentic radiation and it sure as hell gives cancer. Its high energi waves, but just as they can give you cancer they can also cure cancer. Just give you a back-mutation and you are cured! (Not that the chances are more than one to a gazillion, but theoretically..)

on microwaves, as used in ovens:


from emfguru.org...

..
Most of the studies mentioned above concluded that the microwave effect, if it existed, was indistinguishable from the effects of external heating. However, it was recently demonstrated (Kakita 1995) that the microwave effect is distinguishable from external heating by the fact that it is capable of extensively fragmenting viral DNA, something that heating to the same temperature did not accomplish. This experiment consisted of irradiating a bacteriophage PL-1 culture at 2450 MHz and comparing this with a separate culture heated to the same temperature. The survival percentage was approximately the same in both cases, but evaluation by electrophoresis and electron microscopy showed that the DNA of the microwaved samples had mostly disappeared. In spite of the evolving complexity of all the previous experiments, electrophoresis had not been used to compare irradiated and externally heated samples prior to this. Electron microscopy had been used to study the bacteriocidal effects of microwaves (Rosaspina 1993, 1994) and these results also showed that microwaves had effects that were indistinguishable from those of external heating.
..

on radio communications, particularly cellphones
www.mindfully.org...

...

In the morning, he sent a fax to the agency, explaining how the research fell within the parameters of the grant. The NIH accepted his explanation and assured him that all was well. "They are usually fairly liberal in that regard," Lai says. "To do otherwise would stifle the scientific process."

The incident, he says, was only the beginning in a David-and-Goliath conflict pitting him-and other researchers-against an emerging technology that would rapidly become one of the most lucrative and powerful businesses on the planet: the cell phone industry.

The controversy goes back to a study by Lai and Singh published in a 1995 issue of Bioelectromagnetics. They found an increase in damaged DNA in the brain cells of rats after a single two-hour exposure to microwave radiation at levels considered "safe" by government standards.

The idea behind that study was relatively simple: expose rats to microwave radiation similar to that emitted by cell phones, then examine their brain cells to see if any DNA damage resulted. Such damage is worrisome because DNA carries the body's genetic code and breaks, if not repaired properly, could lead to mutations and even cancer.
...

The EMR spectrum includes all photon-based "radiations" from radio to gamma. This means microwaves, infrared, vis, UV, X-rays. When you say "such and such causes cancer" you're just referring to a particular wavelength of the same; now this is important because to certain wavelengths we are impermeable (e.g. radiowaves) and these are largely harmless, but once the wavelength becomse comparable to particle size (your cells, for instance), it can be conducted - e.g. pass through you, get absorbed or reflected. This involves some quantum chemistry, but suffice it to say that absorption is largely dependent on the chemical structure of your molecules. This is why we get to nuke things like potatoes easily enough while a fork will most certainly create a fire. Also why bones can be seen on an X-ray. Cancer happens when DNA is damaged beyond the capacity of cell repair machinery; the absorption max for DNA is at the wavelength of 280nm (UVB-UVC range). Luckily for us, most of UVC is filtered out at the ozone (provided you don't live under a hole. Poor Aussies). This is the key to skin cancer. Now, for the other cancer-causing radiation facts:
X-ray and other high-energy radiation mostly causes damage by ionizing organics in your cytoplasm and making free radicals. THESE are totally unpredictable and their damage may be more lingering because they act as catalysts and create various toxic byproducts of high stability (like aromatics, these are huge thermodynamic sinks) which then go on to mess with your cells, DNA included. Free radicals can also be picked up externally - this is why eating your fruits and veggies (antioxidants = free radical sponges) is a huge step towards mitigating hospital bed occupancy in cancer wards.

Clearly, I have a rambling problem. Hope someone finds this useful.


[edit on 18-1-2006 by Alecta]

I´m not sure if electromagnetic radiation causes cancer. But exposure to a 750 watt high-frequency transmitter might have been found to give an increased risk of having children with birth defects. They are not sure but they suspect it.

BBC: Torpedo boat 'birth defect link'

17 January 2006


Service aboard a Norwegian navy torpedo boat has been linked to an increased risk of having children with birth defects, a study says. Researchers looked at data from 2,000 personnel

Bergen University found those serving in the 1990s on the boat used in electronic warfare had four times more risk of having children with defects. The KNM Kvikk, which was in service between 1971 and 1995, was a torpedo boat which was used for electronic warfare. Between 1987 and 1994 the ship was fitted with a 750 watt high-frequency transmitter designed to block communications between enemy vessels.

Dr Michael Clark, of the UK's Health Protection Agency, said the 750 watt transmitter was as powerful as a microwave. He added: "We will look at this study carefully. The military are major users of radio and radar but, as the journal points out, this study does not actually establish a link between exposure and birth defects. Other studies have shown no link."

I just love long documents that say, in a scientific sort of way, 'errrr......maybe. Not sure really.'
Just like this one:

www.niehs.nih.gov...&A-Workplace.html#Human

It always struck me as amusing that just as *everyone* in the UK appeared to start using cell phones, and after the phone companies had put billions into their network coverage,in around 97/98 or so, that some evidence started to emerge concerning cancer use and sticking mobile phones next to your ear! Never really heard much more about it, really.... Now that *does* sound like a conspiracy!

TD

Better not go out in the sunlight as that orb we call the Sun is the biggest em producer around - yikes!!

Sure very focused EM can do damage to celluar structures but there are no firm conclusions in the data as yet. We have all been bathed in EM since our births - dunno....

Originally posted by UofCinLA
Better not go out in the sunlight as that orb we call the Sun is the biggest em producer around - yikes!!

Sure very focused EM can do damage to celluar structures but there are no firm conclusions in the data as yet. We have all been bathed in EM since our births - dunno....

ain't it obvious that radio communication has a higher amplitude in its frequency band than the sun? otherwise, reception would be extraordinarily poor.

also, the sun takes a break every night, radio doesn't...

Originally posted by Alecta
the absorption max for DNA is at the wavelength of 280nm (UVB-UVC range).

I don't think it affects your thesis much, but the Amax for DNA is about 260nm, proteins absorb strongly at 280... 277nm, actually.

My mistake. I was thinking protein for some reason. Good catch mattison

I honestly can't comprehend how this is a serious debate. I've intuited this since I was a kid! It just makes sense guys, sorry but this seems like it should be common knowledge to me. Cancer is essentially abnormal cellular growth. Do people truly believe that certain electromagnetic frequencies will not damage cells and dna? It most definitely causes cancer. This is KNOWN. The bastards tell us that their is simply a correlation. That correlation doesn't prove causation....well, when you use a device (cellphone) that emits microwave radiation, and then you get brain cancer around the same side of the head which you use to talk....sometimes common sense is a necessary tool, ya know!!

Screw this. I'm starting a thread on electromagnetic radiation. The rise in 21st century. The connection to various cancers. What we can do to shield ourselves, etc, etc..

reply to post by GreatTech


Thank you for posing your interesting question, GreatTech.

Speaking from "inside the industry":

The fact is, EMR can cause cancer.

The fact is, EMR can cure cancer.

Don't worry about:

- Cell phones

- MRI

- Ambient EMR

Do worry (at a sensible level) about:

- Over exposure to sunlight

- High radiation dosages from multiple examinations on new multi-slice high speed CT scanners

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not



[edit on 10-1-2010 by Maybe...maybe not]

reply to post by Maybe...maybe not


Uh, I don't think that's good info there. EMR is a broad term. It depends on the frequency, amplitude, and distance from ones body. As far as cell phones are concerned: Every 100 hrs of use on cell phones raises the rate of brain cancer by 5%. That's rather drastic, IMO. It's much, much worse for children than adults, yet this group is being marketed heavily.

Check it:

reply to post by unityemissions


G'day unityemissions

I thought about what you said & I re-read my post.

I agree I should have phrased it slightly differently as follows:

Speaking from "inside the industry":

The fact is, EMR can cause cancer.

The fact is, EMR can cure cancer.

In my opinion, you don't need to worry about:

- Cell phones

- MRI

- Ambient EMR

In my opinion, you do need to worry (at a sensible level) about:

- Over exposure to sunlight

- High radiation dosages from multiple examinations on new multi-slice high speed CT scanners

I hope that reads a little more reasonably.

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

I was on a 210' Cutter in the Coast Guard back around 9-11-2001 and we had 3 smaller radars and 1 huge radar within 10-15 ft of us on at all times. Only when we were up on lookout in the crows nest but we did 4 hr watches while underway every night and I just wonder sometimes is all that radiation could lead to cancer down the road. Any answers?