Sep 04, 2024 16:00:00

Analysis of 28 years of research confirms that mobile phones are 'unrelated' to brain tumors

Because mobile phones emit radio waves, a type of

non-ionizing radiation , and are held up to the ear when talking, they have long been considered to cause brain tumors. However, an analysis of 63 studies published over a 28-year period from 1994 to 2022 found no association between mobile phone use and brain tumors or other head and neck cancers.

The effect of exposure to radiofrequency fields on cancer risk in the general and working population: A systematic review of human observational studies – Part I: Most researched outcomes - ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024005695

Mobile phones are not linked to brain cancer, according to a major review of 28 years of research
https://theconversation.com/mobile-phones-are-not-linked-to-brain-cancer-according-to-a-major-review-of-28-years-of-research-237882

The possibility that cell phones can cause brain tumors has long been a concern across many industries, with numerous studies showing no link between cell phone radiation and brain tumors or other diseases.

Despite this, numerous research results showing the dangers of radio waves have been published, and in 2011 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified exposure to radio waves as carcinogenic

( PDF file) . However, IARC's findings were based on past observational studies that reported that 'brain tumor patients used mobile phones more than they actually did,' and it has been pointed out that the results are biased. However, according to Sarah Laurent, director of the Radiation Research Institute at the University of Wollongong, and her colleagues, concerns about mobile phone signals have increased since this report was published.

Ken Karipidis, an associate professor at the Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and his colleagues were commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate the health effects associated with exposure to radio waves. The research team analyzed 63 studies published between 1994 and 2022 from more than 5,000 previous studies. The results showed no association between mobile phone use and brain tumors or other head and neck cancers.

Additionally, no association was found between long-term mobile phone use and cancer, or between frequency of use and other factors.

Furthermore, although the use of wireless technology has increased significantly in recent years, the incidence of brain tumours has remained fairly constant for many years. The graph below shows the incidence of brain tumours in Australia. From the start of the survey in 1982 to 2014, the incidence has remained around 8 cases per 100,000 for men and 5-6 cases per 100,000 for women.

On the other hand, the graph below shows the penetration rate of mobile phones in Australia. In 2007, the penetration rate reached 90%, and since 2008, the number of mobile phones in Australia has exceeded the population.

'The results of this analysis show that mobile phones emit low levels of radio waves that are belowsafety guidelines and that there is no evidence that continued exposure to these waves will affect human health,' said Laurent. 'However, as technology develops rapidly, we now use radio waves at different frequencies and in different ways, so further scientific research is needed to ensure exposure to these waves is safe.'

'The challenge we face is to counter persistent misconceptions and misinformation about mobile phones and brain tumours,' Laurent said.