EMF-Portal | Mobile telephones and rates of brain cancer

Mobile telephones and rates of brain cancer epidem.

By: Muscat JE, Hinsvark M, Malkin M

Published in: Neuroepidemiology 2006; 27 (1): 55-56

Aim of study (acc. to author)

Time-trends in the age-adjusted incidence rate of adult neuronal cancer from 1973 to 2002 and in mobile telephone use were investigated in this study.

Further details

Neuronal cancers are rare and account for about 1 % of all adult brain cancer types. There are no known risk factors for neuronal cancer. A causal association with mobile telephone use would be expected to increase the incidence rate over time.The incidence rates in time periods 1973 to 1985 and 1986 to 2002 were compared.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(standardized incidence rate (SIR))

Exposure

Assessment

list: The Wireless Association (CTIA), USA

Population

Group:

men
women

Age: ≥ 20 years

Observation period: 1973 - 2002

Study location: USA

Data source: Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program

Results (acc. to author)

The age-adjusted incidence rates for 1973 to 1985 and for 1986 to 2002 were similar (SIR 0.01). Starting in 1984 the mobile phone use has grown exponentially up to over 200,000,000 subscribers in the USA in December 2005.
The results indicate that mobile phone use is unrelated to the risk of neuronal cancers.

Study funded by

Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, USA

Yang M et al. (2017): Mobile phone use and glioma risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Wang Y et al. (2016): Meta-analysis of association between mobile phone use and glioma risk

Röösli M et al. (2007): Cellular telephone use and time trends in brain tumour mortality in Switzerland from 1969 to 2002

Schüz J et al. (2006): Cellular telephone use and cancer risk: update of a nationwide Danish cohort

Cook A et al. (2003): Cellular telephone use and time trends for brain, head and neck tumours

Johansen C et al. (2002): Mobile phones and malignant melanoma of the eye

Muscat JE et al. (2000): Handheld cellular telephone use and risk of brain cancer