Evaluation of the possible copromoting effect of a 60 Hz magnetic field during chemically induced carcinogenesis in skin of SENCAR mice. Final report

It has been hypothesized that exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields can enhance tumorigenesis through a copromotional mechanism. Equivocal support for this hypothesis was provided by experiments performed by Stuchly et al. using a mouse skin model; i.e. the induction of skin tumors in SENCAR mice exposed to a single subcarcinogenic dose of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and promotion by repetitive doses of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The mice were exposed to a 2 mT (60 Hz) magnetic field during the entire promotion phase of the experiment. The Stuchly study, which utilized single weekly doses of TPA, demonstrated a statistically significant increase in skin tumors after 16--18 weeks of promotion; however, by 23 weeks of promotion, the difference was not statistically significant. The study was designed to provide definitive evidence to confirm or refute a copromotional role of ELF magnetic field exposure on DMBA/TPA-induced skin carcinogenesis in SENCAR mice. This study was modeled after the study of Stuchly et al., (1992), including the animal model and exposure conditions. However, three different promoting doses of TPA, within the linear dose response range for induction of skin tumors, were utilized.