Parental occupational exposures to electromagnetic fields and radiation and the incidence of neuroblastoma in offspring

We examined parental occupational exposures to electromagnetic fields and r adiation and the incidence of neuroblastoma in offspring. Cases were 538 ch ildren diagnosed with neuroblastoma between 1992 and 1994 in the United Sta tes or Canada. Age-matched controls were selected by random-digit dialing. Occupational exposures to electrical equipment and radiation sources were c lassified by an industrial hygienist, and average exposures to extremely, l ow frequency magnetic fields were estimated using a job exposure matrix. Ma ternal exposure to a broad grouping of sources that produce radiofrequency radiation was associated with an increased incidence of neuroblastoma (odds ratio = 2.8; 95% confidence interval = 0.9-8.7). Paternal exposure to batt ery-powered forklifts was positively associated with neuroblastoma (odds ra tio = 1.6; 95% confidence interval = 0.8-3.2), as were some types of equipm ent that emit radiofrequency radiation (odds ratios congruent to 2.0); howe ver, the broad groupings of sources that produce ELF fields, radiofrequency radiation, or ionizing radiation were not associated with neuroblastoma. P aternal average extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure > 0.4 micro Tesla was weakly associated with neuroblastoma (odds ratio = 1.6; 95% confi dence interval = 0.9-2.8), whereas maternal exposure was nor. Overall, ther e was scant supportive evidence of strong associations between parental exp osures in electromagnetic spectrum and neuroblastoma in offspring.