G.I.B.
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Found this and thought I would share it...
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Frequent Metal Detector Use Linked To Cancer, Study Suggests
ScienceDaily (March 2009)
Dr. Gradorski, a physician, epidemiologist and lecturer at the University of Alberta, Canada published the results of a study recently in the American Journal of Epidemiology, in which she and her colleagues found that frequent metal detector users were subject to a higher risk of benign and malignant tumors of the testicles.
Those who used a metal detector frequently, while in close proximity to the groin, where the tumors consistently developed, were found to have an increased risk of about 50% for developing a tumor of the testes (male reproductive glands that produce spermatozoa and secrete androgens), compared to those who did not use metal detectors.
The fact that the study was done on a Canadian population is significant. Says Gradorski, "Unlike people in other countries, Canadians were quick to adopt metal detector technology and have continued to be exceptionally heavy users. Therefore, the amount of exposure to radiofrequency radiation found in this study has been higher than in previous metal detector studies”.
"This unique population has given us an indication that metal detector use is associated with cancer," adds Gradorski, whose study investigated nearly 500 people who had been diagnosed with benign and malignant tumors of the testicles.
Controlled Study Reveals Link
The study's subjects were asked to detail their metal detector use patterns in terms of how frequently they used one, and the average length of usage. They were compared to a sample of about 1,300 healthy control subjects.
The study also found an increased risk of cancer for heavy users who lived in rural areas. Due to fewer other activities, metal detectors in rural areas tend to detect more and expose their testicles to a greater amount of RF/radiation.
Gradorski predicts that, over time, the greatest effects will be found in older males who are retired from steady employment thusly allowing more time for the hobby via direct exposure.
While anecdotal evidence has been substantial, the consistency of the results of this study support an association between metal detector use and these tumors. The risks have been hard to prove, mainly due to the long latency period involved in cancer development, explains Gradorski.
Keep detecting but detect smarter.
Today it is estimated that more than 12% percent of the Western world uses metal detectors. As the technology becomes cheaper and more accessible, its usage by a greater number of people, including children, is bound to increase.
Gradorski can only recommend at this time that the user limits direct exposure of the testicles from stray radiation of metal detector units. She suggests shielding the groin area with articles of clothing that resist RF/radiation penetration. The RF shielding bags that are presently available from commercial sources should work in the interim, until a longer lasting solution can be found.
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Frequent Metal Detector Use Linked To Cancer, Study Suggests
ScienceDaily (March 2009)
Dr. Gradorski, a physician, epidemiologist and lecturer at the University of Alberta, Canada published the results of a study recently in the American Journal of Epidemiology, in which she and her colleagues found that frequent metal detector users were subject to a higher risk of benign and malignant tumors of the testicles.
Those who used a metal detector frequently, while in close proximity to the groin, where the tumors consistently developed, were found to have an increased risk of about 50% for developing a tumor of the testes (male reproductive glands that produce spermatozoa and secrete androgens), compared to those who did not use metal detectors.
The fact that the study was done on a Canadian population is significant. Says Gradorski, "Unlike people in other countries, Canadians were quick to adopt metal detector technology and have continued to be exceptionally heavy users. Therefore, the amount of exposure to radiofrequency radiation found in this study has been higher than in previous metal detector studies”.
"This unique population has given us an indication that metal detector use is associated with cancer," adds Gradorski, whose study investigated nearly 500 people who had been diagnosed with benign and malignant tumors of the testicles.
Controlled Study Reveals Link
The study's subjects were asked to detail their metal detector use patterns in terms of how frequently they used one, and the average length of usage. They were compared to a sample of about 1,300 healthy control subjects.
The study also found an increased risk of cancer for heavy users who lived in rural areas. Due to fewer other activities, metal detectors in rural areas tend to detect more and expose their testicles to a greater amount of RF/radiation.
Gradorski predicts that, over time, the greatest effects will be found in older males who are retired from steady employment thusly allowing more time for the hobby via direct exposure.
While anecdotal evidence has been substantial, the consistency of the results of this study support an association between metal detector use and these tumors. The risks have been hard to prove, mainly due to the long latency period involved in cancer development, explains Gradorski.
Keep detecting but detect smarter.
Today it is estimated that more than 12% percent of the Western world uses metal detectors. As the technology becomes cheaper and more accessible, its usage by a greater number of people, including children, is bound to increase.
Gradorski can only recommend at this time that the user limits direct exposure of the testicles from stray radiation of metal detector units. She suggests shielding the groin area with articles of clothing that resist RF/radiation penetration. The RF shielding bags that are presently available from commercial sources should work in the interim, until a longer lasting solution can be found.
