Skip to main content
  • Book
  • © 2013

Light Pollution as a New Risk Factor for Human Breast and Prostate Cancers

  • The proposed book is the first book to address the linkage between exposure to artificial light at night (LAN), suppression of pineal melatonin production and breast & prostate cancers (BC&PC) in humans
  • It introduces and explains several modern state-of-the-art theories, linking light pollution with BC&PC, which incidence rates have greatly increased in recent years, especially in developed countries
  • This book also illustrates research hypotheses about health effects of light pollution, mainly that of short wave length, by results of animal models and population-based studies

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check for access.

Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-viii
  2. Introduction

    • Abraham Haim, Boris A. Portnov
    Pages 1-6
  3. Artificial Light and Human Temporal Organization

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 7-7
    2. Artificial Light and its Physicochemical Properties

      • Abraham Haim, Boris A. Portnov
      Pages 9-18
    3. Light and Dark Cycles as a Basis of Temporal Organization

      • Abraham Haim, Boris A. Portnov
      Pages 19-23
    4. Biological Clock and its Entrainment by Photoperiod

      • Abraham Haim, Boris A. Portnov
      Pages 25-33
    5. Melatonin: “Hormone of Darkness” and a “Jack of all Traits”

      • Abraham Haim, Boris A. Portnov
      Pages 41-46
  4. Light Pollution, its Known Health Effects and Impact on Energy Conservation

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 47-47
    2. Biological Definition of Light Pollution

      • Abraham Haim, Boris A. Portnov
      Pages 61-65
    3. Light-at-Night (LAN) as a General Stressor

      • Abraham Haim, Boris A. Portnov
      Pages 67-70
  5. Light Pollution and its Potential Links to Breast and Prostate Cancers

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 103-103
    2. Geographic Patterns of Breast and Prostate Cancers (BC&PC) Worldwide

      • Abraham Haim, Boris A. Portnov
      Pages 105-111
    3. Selected Methodological Issues of LAN-BC&PC Research

      • Abraham Haim, Boris A. Portnov
      Pages 127-137
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 145-168

About this book

Humans are diurnal organisms whose biological clock and temporal organization depend on natural light/dark cycles. Changes in the photoperiod are a signal for seasonal acclimatization of physiological and immune systems as well as behavioral patterns. The invention of electrical light bulbs created more opportunities for work and leisure. However, exposure to artificial light at night (LAN) affects our biological clock, and suppresses pineal melatonin (MLT) production. Among its other properties, MLT is an antioncogenic agent, and therefore its suppression increases the risks of developing breast and prostate cancers (BC&PC). To the best of our knowledge, this book is the first to address the linkage between light pollution and BC&PC in humans. It explains several state-of-the-art theories, linking light pollution with BC&PC. It also illustrates research hypotheses about health effects of light pollution using the results of animal models and population-based studies.

Reviews

This novel, important, clearly written book brings together several familiar subjects whose connections had not been appreciated.  We are grateful for widespread electric lighting (a relatively new phenomenon in human history), and we fear widespread breast cancer and prostate cancer.  Many of us have also heard of biological clocks and the hormone melatonin.  The authors assemble evidence that the blessings of electric lighting are a risk factor for the curses of breast cancer and prostate cancer, mediated by effects on our biological clocks and our melatonin production.  Hence this book will interest not only scholars but also the broad public.

Jared Diamond
Professor of Physiology, Environmental Health Sciences, and Geography at the University of California, Los Angeles

Authors and Affiliations

  • , Center for Interdisciplinary Research in, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Abraham Haim

  • , Natural Resources & Environmental Manage, University Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Boris A. Portnov

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Light Pollution as a New Risk Factor for Human Breast and Prostate Cancers

  • Authors: Abraham Haim, Boris A. Portnov

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6220-6

  • Publisher: Springer Dordrecht

  • eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life Sciences, Biomedical and Life Sciences (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-94-007-6219-0Published: 12 June 2013

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-94-017-8315-6Published: 16 July 2015

  • eBook ISBN: 978-94-007-6220-6Published: 03 June 2013

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: VIII, 168

  • Number of Illustrations: 10 b/w illustrations, 16 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Cancer Research, Environmental Health, Biomedicine general

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access