MAGNETIC-FIELDS AND CANCER DEVELOPMENT IN ANIMAL-MODELS

Several laboratory animal studies have been up to July 1993 published with the aim to investigate possible carcinogenic or cocarcinogenic ef fects of magnetic fields. No large-scale study of complete carcinogeni city, considering tumor as an endpoint, has been performed. Nor has an y study on tumor initiation only been performed. In studies designed f or tumor promotion, small parallel series for complete carcinogenicity have also been included in some experiments. These small series do no t permit an evaluation of the possible complete carcinogenicity or non carcinogenicity of magnetic fields. Studies designed to illuminate the possibility of a tumor-promotive effect of magnetic fields seem not t o support the hypothesis that continuous magnetic fields act as promot ers in rats or mice. Observations on skin tumors in mice seem to indic ate a possible copromotional effect of a 2-mT 60-Hz magnetic field and a simultaneous treatment with a known skin tumor promoter in the sens itive Sencar mouse strain.