FM Broadcasting Exposure Time and Malignant Melanoma Incidence

Abstract

Object: To analyze the age-specific incidence of malignant melanoma in Sweden since 1958 in order to see if the reported general increase in incidence would be explained by a sudden exposure to an environmental stress to the population. Methods: Incidence data for all age groups was collected from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare databases for each year between 1958 and 2002. The incidence in all 288 municipalities of Sweden was correlated to the number of FM transmitters covering each municipality. Results: The age-specific incidence was found to be constant over the last 20–30 years for people younger than 50 years while the incidence for older age groups still are constantly increasing. The total incidence in different municipalities was found to be a strong function of the number of covering FM transmitters. Conclusions: The age-specific incidence of malignant melanoma of the skin appears to be following a pattern of response to an imposed environmental change in 1955. We believe that the frequency modulation (FM) broadcasting radiation at whole-body resonant frequencies is such an environmental stress.

Key Words:

• Broadcasting
• Exposure time
• FM
• Malignant
• Melanoma
• Radiation