An investigation conducted over the 2007-08 academic year by’ Cedric Garland, adjunct family and preventive medicine professor, has found a possible connection between the unusually high instances of breast cancer among staff in the Literature Building and electromagnetic fields in the building’s elevator equipment and electrical rooms.
Between 2000 and 2006, eight cases of breast cancer were reported by UCSD employees who worked primarily in the Literature Building. One case each of ovarian cancer, carcinoma of the adrenal cortex, adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland and metastatic cervical cancer have been reported as well.
‘All cases are of considerable interest in surveillance for cancer, and all require consideration as part of comprehensive overall evaluation of an apparent cancer cluster,’ Garland said.
The report systematically ruled out mold due to leaks, dust collecting in unused air-conditioning ducts, the local water supply and chemical contaminants as causes.
According to the report, the Literature Building’s unique layout ‘mdash; elevator equipment and electrical rooms located on the ground floor near offices, rather than being located in a basement or rooftop ‘mdash; may contribute to the higher frequency of cancer diagnosis.
EMF spikes associated with the elevator operation exceed levels deemed safe in studies cited by Garland.
Additionally, the concentration area of reported cancer cases more closely coincides with that of the concentration area of EMF exposure than would be expected by chance, Garland said.
While EMF exposure is a possible contributor to breast cancer, Garland expressed stronger concern about the effects EMF could have on patients already in treatment.
‘Perhaps of most immediate relevance for the Literature Building are recent in-vitro studies that have found that moderate exposures to EMF interferes with the action of tamoxifen against preventing recurrence of breast cancer,’ Garland said.
Garland presented his findings to the literature department in a town-hall meeting held Nov. 5. In a letter dated Nov. 10, Chancellor Marye Anne Fox expressed concern for the women diagnosed and, despite taking a reserved position, called for further investigation.
‘If there is a health and safety issue in any building on this campus, I want to know about it, so I can fix the problem and protect our people,’ Fox said.
Both Fox and Garland said the EMF levels are not prohibited by existing U.S. regulations. However, Garland cited Swedish regulations, which set the standard lower than exposure levels he observed during the study.
Fox has tasked Environmental Health and Safety Director Stephen Benedict with retaining an EMF expert to investigate the correlation with a higher than average presence of cancer.
‘UCSD EH’amp;S is in the process of identifying experts and will be making a recommendation to the chancellor soon,’ university spokesman Rex Graham said in an e-mail. ‘An initial physical survey was about $10,000. At this time, we do not have an estimate of what the new survey will cost.’
On Nov. 19, a literature department meeting was used to discuss the report and the town-hall meeting, after which a staff and faculty committee was formed. According to professor Nina Zhiri, the committee is not completely formalized and had hoped to begin work during Winter Quarter.
‘People are really very concerned,’ she said. ‘We want this report to have some repercu
ssion on the way we live on this campus and work on this campus.’
Zhiri said she hopes the committee can play an active role in the continued investigation and solution implementation process. Like Garland, she said the general feeling within the department is that it is better to take action, even when faced with circumstantial evidence.
‘Prudent avoidance has become the principle rationale in recent years for minimizing human exposure to high electric current configurations,’ Garland said. ‘[It] is almost always better to risk making an error in the direction of worker safety, than in the direction of no action when there is a possible increase in risk associated with an exposure.’
Readers can contact David Harvey at [email protected].