In this study female AKR/J mice were used. This mouse carries the AK-virus, which leads within one year to spontaneous development of thymic lymphoblastic lymphoma. A total of 320 unrestrained mice were sham-exposed or exposed (160 in each group) to GSM-like electromagnetic fields (EMF) for 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, at an average whole body SAR value of 0.4 W/kg. The exposure status was blinded to the examiners. Animals were visually checked daily and weighed and palpated weekly. Those with signs of disease or with an age of about 46 weeks were sacrificed and a necropsy performed.

EMF exposure had a significant effect on weight gain, with higher values in the exposed animals. The authors suggest that this may have been because of a shift in total energy consumption and energy utilization.

Survival rate and lymphoma incidence did not differ between exposed and sham-exposed mice. The survival time was 183 days in the sham-exposed and 190 days in the exposed. About 90% of animals were dead by 46 weeks. Essentially all mortality observed was related to the development of lymphoma. Median time for lymphoma development was also 183 days.

It would seem difficult to demonstrate a difference in survival or in spontaneous development of tumour when the rate of tumour development is so high in sham-exposed animals.