Scientific studies

Track 1 - Stemming the tide: innovations in prevention and screening

Environmental and occupational exposures control

2016WCC/SS-2004

Serum melatonin and cancer vulnerability among workers exposed to high voltage electric power lines

Amal El Safty^{* 1}

¹Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

Background: One of the most contentious issues in the scientific community today is that of the biological effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and whether or not they adversely affect our health causing cancer.

Aim: The objective of this study is to test the hypothesis concerning EMF-induced suppression of melatonin production, and the oxidative stress, through GSH-Px assay as a potential indicator of DNA damage and carcinogenic mechanism among workers occupationally exposed to EMFs around high voltage power lines.  

Methods: A cross sectional study, composed of 48 adult male subjects working in an electric power station, with a duration of exposure ranging from 5 to 25 years. A control group of 50 male subjects, not working in the station, were involved in the study.  Our sample population were taken from the day shift, to exclude the additive effect of shift work. The studied population was subjected to full history taking, clinical examination, measurement of serum melatonin level, and serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were done. Three successive measurements of blood melatonin levels were carried out at 9 o’clock a.m., 12 o’clock noon and 4 o’clock p.m.,during their regular working day.

Results: : our results revealed a significant reduction of serum melatonin levels and lower GSH-Px activity in workers exposed to EMFs around high voltage power lines. A significant negative correlation was detected between serial measurements of melatonin levels and GSH-Px  and the duration of work. Previous studies reported that reduction of melatonin increases cell vulnerability to alteration by carcinogenic agents. 

Conclusions: There is significant relation between EMFs exposure and higher probability of cancer development.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared

Keywords: Exposure, Occupational