No cancer risk due to mobile phone use?

No correlation between cancer risk and cell phone use

10/21/2011

A few months ago, the World Health Organization warned of a potentially carcinogenic effect of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation, and Danish researchers at the Cancer Epidemiology Institute in Copenhagen have come to the conclusion that in the largest ever study on mobile phone radiation and cancer, that with the ordinary Use of cell phones is not associated with increased risk of cancer.

The potential health risks of cell phone radiation are still highly controversial in the art. It was only in May that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a comprehensive study that prompted the WHO to investigate „possibly carcinogenic“ To warn the effect of the electromagnetic fields of mobile phones. The so-called Interphone study of the IARC had found in the comparison of the data from 13 countries a slightly increased probability of illness at special brain tumors (Gliome) with persons, who phoned particularly much with the mobile phone. Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen now report in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal that their research is not one of them „Recognizing the link between the onset of cancer and the use of cell phones“ to let.

The most comprehensive study to date on the risk of cancer from mobile communications
The scientists of the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, according to their own statements in the largest ever study on the risks of mobile phone radiation, no increase in cancer risk. As part of their study, the researchers had considered the cancer registry data of all Danes over the age of 30 years as well as all mobile phone contracts, which were completed between 1982 and 1995 by the approximately 5.5 million inhabitants of Denmark. Since the so-called personal identification number is always recorded in Denmark both when concluding a mobile phone contract and in the cancer registry, epidemiologists were able to compare relatively simply possible relationships between the duration of mobile phone use and the occurrence of cancer. In view of the results, the researchers of the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen for the normal use of mobile phones for the time being all-clear and stressed that there is no fear of increased risk of cancer from mobile communications. This also applies to the occurrence of rare brain tumors (gliomas) and to persons who have been using mobile phones for more than 13 years.

No full all-clear for cell phone radiation
However, the researchers did not want to give the all-clear to first author Patrizia Frei from the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology. Because according to the statement of the scientists remain „many questions left“. So could for example „a very strong use over decades may bring with it an increased cancer risk“, declared Patrizia Frei to the „South German newspaper“. Also, in the current study, the cancer risk in children was not analyzed in more detail by mobile phone radiation and therefore remains unclear, the experts explained. Also remain in the data analysis, an uncertainty factor, since about 200,000 contracts for company phones could not be assigned personally related and therefore sorted out or were attributed to the group of non-users. If the users of the company's mobile phones were frequent callers who may be at increased risk of cancer, attributing non-users would have increased their risk of cancer statistically, while reducing it among cell phone users, Patrizia Frei explained possible weaknesses of their own study. Another deficit of the investigation is that all Danes, who only concluded their first cell phone contract after 1996, were also listed as non-users, explained the expert.

Nevertheless, the Danish study remains methodically sound compared to previous studies. The mere fact that it was created as a cohort study that covers the entire year rather than questioning subsequently selected people to their cell phone use, offers considerable advantage, according to the statement of the scientists. For example, in the IACR Interphone study, the data was based solely on the data of selected study participants. The subsequent interviews, however, can bring significant distortions of results, explained Patrizia Frei. For example, cancer patients would be more likely to take part in the survey and more likely to remember too many mobile phone conversations if they personally suspect this as the cause of their cancer.

No connection between cancer and mobile phone radiation?
Commenting on the recent publication in the British Medical Journal, Anders Ahlbom and Maria Feychting from the Swedish Karolinska Institute report that most serious studies have found no increased risk of cancer from cell phone radiation. This assessment is also confirmed by the numbers of cancer statistics, according to which the incidence of brain tumors has not increased in the past 40 years. Should cell phone radiation be carcinogenic, then this would have long been visible in the statistics, so the comment by Ahlbom and Feychting. However, this inference seems a bit premature. Because it remains unclear whether mobile phones may have a long-term cancer-causing effect. The longest considered use of mobile phones so far relates to a period of 13 years. What threatens after 20, 30 or 50 years of mobile phone use in the human organism for consequences, previous studies can not clarify clearly. Since the Danish researchers also emphasize that further studies are needed to finally assess the cancer risk of cell phone radiation, the public at this point after the study is about as smart as before.

Residual risk to health so far can not be ruled out
In addition, numerous studies have been published in the past, which pointed to a possible carcinogenic effect of mobile phone radiation, said the diploma physicist dr. Hartmut Voigt from the ECOLOG - Institute for Social-Ecological Research and Education in Hanover at the beginning of June „Heilpraxisnet.de“. Therefore, the ECOLOG institute had its own limit value recommendation for the years ago „Total load of all immissions“ presented outside in the amount of 10 milliwatts per square meter. Inside, according to ECOLOG, even a limit of one milliwatt per square meter should be complied with. Like Dr. Hartmut Voigt explained, the limits refer to a whole body burden. According to the expert, however, persons who have their mobile phones on their ears all the time experience increased levels of radiation in the head area. This may increase the risk of tissue changes in the brain even if the general limits are met. As a precaution, Patrizia Frei also recommends restricting the use of mobile phones to a minimum. (Fp)

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Cell phone radiation may cause cancer
No cancer risk from cell phone radiation?