Study cell phone rays promote cancer emergence

Study: Cell phone rays cause tumors to grow

08/03/2015

A recent study, commissioned by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, concludes that cell phone radiation can promote cancer growth, at least in mice. Whether mobile phone radiation is dangerous for humans has been a controversial issue among researchers for years.

Cell phone radiation can promote cancer growth
German researchers have found that cell phone radiation - at least in mice - can promote cancer growth, and sometimes even at field strengths below the current limits. This is the conclusion of a study by the private elite university „Jacobs University Bremen“ (JUB), which was carried out on behalf of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection. The scientists released their findings last Friday. Compared to the Frankfurter Rundschau, the study director Professor Alexander Lerchl explained that his team had injected a carcinogen into a group of mice. Another group also got this remedy and was also exposed for life to electromagnetic fields, such as those generated by cell phones.

Twice as common tumors on the lungs and liver
According to the Bremen professor of biology, it has been shown that the animals with the additional radiation exposure were twice as likely to have tumors on the liver and lungs as those animals that only received the carcinogen. „The effects on liver and lung tumors discovered by the Fraunhofer Institute in 2010 were fully confirmed“, so Lerchl. This refers to a pilot study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM). In addition, lymph node disorders were also more frequent. According to Lerchl, the increased tumor rates were already partly due to radiation exposures that were only half as high as the human whole body limit.

No evidence of cancer causing cell phone use
However, according to Lerchl, the new findings are no proof that cell phone use causes cancer. „Our study shows that mobile radio fields increase the spread of existing tumors. On the other hand, there are no indications for the assumption that they can cause cancer“, explained the study leader. Now further research projects are necessary to clarify the causes of the new findings. „We can clearly prove the described effects. Now further investigations must elucidate the mechanisms of action“, said Lerchl.

Impact of cell phone radiation on humans controversial
Whether and how dangerous mobile phone radiation is for humans has been a matter of debate among scientists for years. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned in the past about high-frequency electromagnetic radiation used in mobile communications. The Dutch health council, on the other hand, reported last year that after numerous studies had been evaluated „highly unlikely“ is that the high-frequency electromagnetic fields of mobile radio can trigger or promote the development of cancer. The Dutch scientists also followed the assessment of the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization (WHO). (Ad)