Epidemiological study (observational study)

Mobile phone use and risk of acoustic neuroma: results of the Interphone case-control study in five North European countries epidem.

By: Schoemaker MJ, Swerdlow AJ, Ahlbom A, Auvinen A, Blaasaas KG, Cardis E, Christensen HC, Feychting M, Hepworth SJ, Johansen C, Klaeboe L, Lönn S, McKinney PA, Muir K, Raitanen J, Salminen T, Thomsen J, Tynes T

Published in: Br J Cancer 2005; 93 (7): 842-848

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Aim of study (acc. to author)

Six population-based case-control studies were conducted in Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and UK to assess the risk of acoustic neuroma in relation to mobile phone use. They are part of the INTERPHONE study.

Further details

Regular use of a mobile phone was defined as having used a mobile phone for at least 6 months more to than 1 year prior diagnosis date.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor: acoustic neuroma

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

- mobile communications
- analog mobile phone
- digital mobile phone
- personal

Assessment

Type of assessment: Individual
interview: use of mobile phone, start and end for different models, average amount of time of use and number of calls, mobile phone network operator, hands-free use, use in rural, urban or both areas, side of the head on which the phone is mainly used, handedness
calculation: lifetime cumulative numbers of hours of phone use and numbers of calls

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	never or nonregular use
Group 2	regular use
Group 3	frequency of use not known
Group 4	years since first use: 1.5-4
Group 5	years since first use: 5-9
Group 6	years since first use: ≥10
Group 7	years since first use: not known
Group 8	lifetime years of use: 0.5-4
Group 9	lifetime years of use: 5-9
Group 10	lifetime years of use: ≥ 10
Group 11	lifetime years of use: not known
Group 12	cumulative number of calls: < 2149
Group 13	cumulative number of calls: 2149-8000
Group 14	cumulative number of calls: > 8000
Group 15	cumulative number of calls: not known
Group 16	cumulative hours of use: < 116
Group 17	cumulative hours of use: 116-534
Group 18	cumulative hours of use: > 534
Group 19	cumulative hours of use: not known
Group 20	cumulative hours of use by time since first use: < 10 years
Group 21	cumulative hours of use by time since first use: ≥ 10 years (< 90 hours)
Group 22	cumulative hours of use by time since first use: ≥ 10 years (≥ 90 hours)
Group 23	cumulative hours of use by time since first use: not known
Group 24	analogue phone use
Group 25	digital phone use
Group 26	ipsilateral side of tumor and phone use
Group 27	contralateral side of tumor and phone use

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: 20–69 years
Observation period: September 1999 - August 2004
Study location: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden (Stockholm, Göteborg and Lund regions), UK (several areas)

Case group

Characteristics: acoustic neuroma
Data source: oncology centres in the study areas, cancer registries

Control group

Selection:
- population-based
Matching:
- sex
- age
- area

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	827	8,460
Participants	678	3,553

Statistical analysis method:

conditional logistic regression

(adjustment:

5-year age group
sex
residential area
education
oncology centre

)

Results (acc. to author)

There was no increased risk of acoustic neuroma in relation to regular mobile phone use. No association of risk with duration of use, lifetime cumulative hours of use or number of calls, for analogue or digital phones separately was found. An increased risk after more than 10 years of use could not be ruled out.

Study funded by

European Union (EU)/European Commission
GSM Association, UK/Ireland
International Union against Cancer (UICC; Union Internationale Contre le Cancer), Switzerland
Mobile Manufacturers Forum (MMF), Belgium

Comments on this article

Milham S (2006): Mobile phone use and risk of acoustic neuroma: results of the interphone case-control study in five north European countries
Hardell L et al. (2006): Mobile phone use and risk of acoustic neuroma: results of the interphone case-control study in five North European countries
Hocking B (2006): Mobile phone use and risk of acoustic neuroma
Schoemaker MJ et al. (2006): Reply: Mobile phone use and risk of acoustic neuroma: results of the interphone case-control study in five north European countries

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