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Cell Phone Cancer Risk Confirmed.  Radiation Protection Possible?

When brain surgeons refuse to use a cell phone without a speaker on, it says something.  Maine State legislators are proposing to place cancer risk warnings on cell phones, an action that seems to confirm the relationship between cell phone radiations and cancer risks.  Is radiation protection possible? What do you think?  Please write to us as we want to hear from you.

By Samuel Chong
December 20, 2009

Also see Google's Nexus One, iPhone, Blackberry: Cell Phone Radiation Links to Cancer

Los Angeles.  It is true that many brain surgeons refuse to use a cell phone without turning on its speaker and placing the cell phone away, as far as possible, from the head.  However, there is still no consensus among many scientists on whether the radiation from cell phones could be a contributing factor for the recent sudden increase in brain tumor patients. 

A Maine legislator wants to make the state the first to require cell phones to carry warnings that they can cause brain cancer, saying that numerous studies point to the cancer risk.

More than 270 million people subscribed to cellular telephone service last year in the United States, an increase from 110 million in 2000, according to CTIA-The Wireless Association.

While many have contended that cell phones post little risks, Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director emeritus of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, does not seem to concur.  He sent a memo to about 3,000 faculty and staff members warning of risks based on early, unpublished data. He said that children should use the phones only for emergencies because their brains were still developing and that adults should keep the phone away from the head and use a speakerphone or a wireless headset.

Herberman, who says scientific conclusions often take too long, is one of numerous doctors and researchers who have endorsed an August report by retired electronics engineer L. Lloyd Morgan. The report highlights a study that found significantly increased risk of brain tumors from 10 or more years of cell phone or cordless phone use.

Also, the BioInitiative Working Group, an international group of scientists, notes that many countries have issued warnings and that the European Parliament has passed a resolution calling for governmental action to address concerns over health risks from mobile phone use.

A few studies have suggested that there is an increased risk of cancer for cell phone users with over 10 years of usage. 

A Swedish scientific team at the Karolinska Institute conducted an epidemiological study (2004) that suggested that regular use of a mobile phone over a decade or more was associated with an increased risk of acoustic neuroma, a type of benign brain tumor. The increase was not noted in those who had used phones for fewer than 10 years.

In 2007, Dr. Lennart Hardell, from Örebro University in Sweden, reviewed published epidemiological papers (2 cohort studies and 16 case-control studies) and found that:

• Cell phone users had an increased risk of malignant gliomas.
• Link between cell phone use and a higher rate of acoustic neuromas.
• Tumors are more likely to occur on the side of the head that the cell handset is used.
• One hour of cell phone use per day significantly increases tumor risk after ten years or more.

A self-published and non-peer reviewed meta-study by Dr. Vini Khurana, an Australian neurosurgeon, presented an "increasing body of evidence ... for a link between mobile phone usage and certain brain tumors" and that it "is anticipated that this danger has far broader public health ramifications than asbestos and smoking". This was criticized as ‘…an unbalanced analysis of the literature, which is also selective in support of the author’s claims.’

A publication titled "Public health implications of wireless technologies" cites that Lennart Hardell found age is a significant factor. The report repeated the finding that the use of cell phones before age 20 increased the risk of brain tumors by 5.2, compared to 1.4 for all ages. A review by Hardell et al. concluded that current mobile phones are not safe for long-term exposure.

What do you think?  Will cell phones pose as a risk factor for brain cancer?  Will radiation protection be a possible solution? Please write to us and let us know your views.

Cell Phone Cancer Risk Comments

#1.
60 minutes did a story on this YEARS ago, back when cell phones were the size of loaf of bread. I still remember the story though. It was pretty convincing, even back then.

Scott

#2
The convenience of cellular phone communications has already created a critical mass of users. Using cell phones with a Bluetooth ear-piece would expose a user to far less radiation, but people are going to use cell phones despite the risks because they’ve become dependent on them. Facts are much more conclusive about the risks of cigarette smoking and cancer, but people keep puffing away.

Rob Brownstein

#3

I suggest that you contact he Amateur Radio Relay League for additional information.
www.arrl.org

Ham radio operators have used hand held radios with much higher power for years. It is my understanding that there have been no studies that show a link between brain cancer and the use of Ham Radio transceivers.

Dunc

This article can also be found at http://www.certifiedchinesetranslation.com/09/1220-Cell-Phone-Cancer-Risk-Radiation.html