Epidemiological study (observational study)

Pooled analysis of case-control studies on acoustic neuroma diagnosed 1997-2003 and 2007-2009 and use of mobile and cordless phones epidem.

By: Hardell L, Carlberg M, Söderqvist F, Hansson Mild K

Published in: Int J Oncol 2013; 43 (4): 1036-1044

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A pooled analysis of case-control studies on acoustic neuroma and use of mobile phones and cordless phones was conducted in Sweden.

Further details

Following studies are included: The first case-control study covering the period 1997-2000 was published in the publications Hardell et al (2002) and Hardell et al (2003). The second study covering the period 2000-2003 was published in Hardell et al (2005) concerning benign brain tumors and in Hardell et al (2006) concerning malignant brain tumors. A pooled analysis of these studies is published in Hardell et al (2006). The new case-control study on benign brain tumors was conducted in the period 2007-2009. The results of this new study on meningioma are published in Carlberg et al (2013).

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
- GSM
- UMTS
- cordless phone
- personal

Assessment

questionnaire: use of wireless phones (mobile phones and cordless phones)
interview: supplementing data
calculation: cumulative use in hours

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	unexposed
Group 2	analog mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 3	analog mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 4	analog mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 5	analog mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 6	analog mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 7	analog mobile phone > 20 year latency period
Group 8	digital (2G) mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 9	digital (2G) mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 10	digital (2G) mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 11	digital (2G) mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 12	digital (2G) mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 13	digital (2G) mobile phone > 20 -year latency period
Group 14	digital (3G) mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 15	digital (3G) mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 16	digital (3G) mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 17	digital (3G) mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 18	digital (3G) mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 19	digital (3G) mobile phone > 20-year latency period
Group 20	mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 21	mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 22	mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 23	mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 24	mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 25	mobile phone > 20 -year latency period
Group 26	cordless phone > 1 year latency period
Group 27	cordless phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 28	cordless phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 29	cordless phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 30	cordless phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 31	cordless phone > 20-year latency period
Group 32	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 1 year latency period
Group 33	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 34	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 35	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 36	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 37	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 20-year latency period
Group 38	mobile phone + cordless phone > 1 year latency period
Group 39	mobile phone + cordless phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 40	mobile phone + cordless phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 41	mobile phone + cordless phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 42	mobile phone + cordless phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 43	mobile phone + cordless phone > 20-year latency period

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: 18–80 years
Observation period: 1997 - 2003, 2007 - 2009
Study location: Sweden (Uppsala/Örebro and Linköping medical regions 1997-2003, Stockholm and Gothenburg regions 1997-2000)

Case group

Characteristics: acoustic neuroma, histopathologically verified
Data source: cancer registry

Control group

Matching:
- sex
- age
- area

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	338	4,038
Participants	316	3,530
Participation rate	93 %	87 %

Statistical analysis method:

unconditional logistic regression

(adjustment:

age
sex
socioeconomic status
year of diagnosis

)

Results (acc. to author)

The main result of this study was an association between use of wireless phones (mobile phones and cordless phones) and acoustic neuroma. Increased risk was found for all studied phone types with the highest odds ratios in the longest latency period (see table above). Several of the calculations in the long latency category were based on low numbers of exposed cases. Formally, the highest odds ratio overall was calculated for digital mobile phones of the third generation of mobile communication systems (3G), but this result was not statistically significant and was based on low numbers of exposed cases. Ipsilateral use resulted in a higher risk than contralateral for both mobile phones and cordless phones. OR increased per 100 h cumulative use and per year of latency for mobile phones and cordless phones, though the increase was not statistically significant for cordless phones. The percentage tumor volume increased per year of latency and per 100 h of cumulative use, statistically significant for analogue phones.
The authors concluded that this study confirmed previous results demonstrating an association between mobile phone and cordless phone use and acoustic neuroma.

Study funded by

Cancer och Allergifonden (Cancer and Allergy Foundation), Sweden
Cancerhjälpen (Cancerhelp), Sweden
gigaherz.ch (Schweizerische Interessengemeinschaft Elektrosmog-Betroffener), Switzerland
Örebro University Hospital Cancer Fund, Sweden
Pandora Foundation, Germany

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Hardell L et al. (2015): Mobile phone and cordless phone use and the risk for glioma - Analysis of pooled case-control studies in Sweden, 1997-2003 and 2007-2009
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