We investigated the association between environmental exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) and risk of lymphoma subtypes in a case-control study comprised of 322 patients and 444 individuals serving as controls in Sardinia, Italy in 1998-2004. Questionnaire information included the self-reported distance of the three longest held residential addresses from fixed radio-television transmitters and mobile phone base stations. We georeferenced the residential addresses of all study subjects and obtained the spatial coordinates of mobile phone base stations. For each address within a 500-meter radius from a mobile phone base station, we estimated the RF-EMF intensity using predictions from spatial models, and we performed RF-EMF measurements at the door in the subset of the longest held addresses within a 250-meter radius. We calculated risk of lymphoma and its major subtypes associated with the RF-EMF exposure metrics with unconditional logistic regression, adjusting by age, gender and years of education. In the analysis of self-reported data, risk associated with residence in proximity (within 50 meters) to fixed radio-television transmitters was likewise elevated for lymphoma overall [odds ratio = 2.7, 95% confidence interval = 1.5-4.6], and for the major lymphoma subtypes. With reference to mobile phone base stations, we did not observe an association with either the self-reported, or the geocoded distance from mobile phone base stations. RF-EMF measurements did not vary by case-control status. By comparing the self-reports to the geocoded data, we discovered that the cases tended to underestimate the distance from mobile phone base stations differentially from the controls ( P = 0.073). The interpretation of our findings is compromised by the limited study size, particularly in the analysis of the individual lymphoma subtypes, and the unavailability of the spatial coordinates of radio-television transmitters. Nonetheless, our results do not support the hypothesis of a link between environmental exposure to RF-EMF from mobile phone base stations and risk of lymphoma subtypes.

cancer. We designed the study to overcome certain limitations of earlier epidemiology studies. Method The epidemiological and exposure assessment components of the study are coordinated by the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Illinois at Chicago, respectively. Our cohort comprises 12 manufacturing sites in the US and nine sites in Europe, and represents three companies, five countries (US, Austria, Germany, Sweden and UK) and multiple manufacturing processes and exposures. Statistical analyses will adjust external and internal mortality rate comparisons for potential co-exposures, including smoking histories obtained via a nested case-control study. The study will include separate and pooled analyses. Results Our data collection effort identified two additional US study sites and additional subjects in the German and Swedish sites. Accordingly, our originally projected cohort size of 21 000 subjects has increased to 35 508 (US-7005; Europe-33 508). Vital status tracing, cause of death determination and identification of subjects for the nested case-control study are ongoing. Conclusions Our study will enable country-specific and pooled analyses of mortality rates and exposure-response relationships among workers from 21 study sites and the opportunity to compare and contrast findings across countries, sites, companies and/ or manufacturing processes and exposures involved in this global industry. We will detail progress to date on the US and combined epidemiological component of the study.

BackgroundPhysical activity is known to protect against several cancers and to improve survival and quality of life in cancer patients. Few studies have addressed the association between physical activity and risk of non Hodgkin lymphoma and its subtypes.MethodsDuring 1998–2004, a case-control study on the aetiology of lymphoma was conducted Sardinia, Italy as part of the European multicentre study EPILYMPH. Information on lifetime recreational physical activity was collected using a standardised questionnaire. Risk of the major lymphoma subtypes associated with ever practicing physical activity and with quartiles of hours of recreational physical activity in the lifetime was calculated with unconditional logistic regression analysis, adjusting by age, gender, education and study centre.ResultsRisk of lymphoma overall and B-cell lymphoma was not associated with ever practicing recreational physical activity (OR = 0.9, 95% CI: 0.7–1.3). However, a significant protective effect was observed in the upper quartile of hours of recreational physical activity in the lifetime (OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.3–0.8). The inverse association was consistent across the major lymphoma subtypes, namely diffuse large B cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and multiple myeloma.ConclusionsOur results suggest an inverse association between risk of the major lymphoma subtypes and prolonged recreational physical activity.

IntroductionHepatitis B (HBV) represents a main occupational infectious disease. Nursing students (NSs) are a risk group for acquiring HBV occupational infection after accidental contact with blood or body fluids contaminated with the virus. During their everyday clinical learning, they are exposed to needle stick injuries and sharp injuries (NSSIs) probably due to limited experience in handling needles.ObjectivesWe assessed the risk of HBV infection and NSSIs rate among italian NSs.MethodsWe evaluated the seroprevalence of HBV markers in a sample of 247 NSs. We analysed the rate of NSSIs in a sample of 640 third-year students.ResultsThe 54% of students were anti-HBs positive, 42% were negative, and 4% had a borderline value (10–11 Ul/ml). One student was serologically HBsAg negative and was positive for anti-HBc (IgG). All participants were negative for HBsAG and Anti HCV. Regarding injuries, 43/640 (7%) occurred among NSs. Among these, 37/43 (86.1%) were caused by NSSIs. The most part of NSSIs occurred in wards of Internal Medicine. NSSIs occurred more frequently during the drawing of patients’ venous blood (24%) and the most commonly injured body area was the first finger (38%).DiscussionResults from NSSIs, as well as those from non-responders, showed that the incidence of injuries among NSs without immunisation is rare. Nevertheless, in case of injury, the risk to contract HBV can be high. This suggests the importance of serological screening and vaccination against HBV. Furthermore, making NSs clinical learning more effective and safe by improving information, education and training are crucial to better manage the HBV infection risk during their internship. The study was conducted with the support of the Italian Ministry of Health, CCM Program 2013.