Epidemiological study (observational study)

Mobile phone and cordless phone use and the risk for glioma - Analysis of pooled case-control studies in Sweden, 1997-2003 and 2007-2009 epidem.

By: Hardell L, Carlberg M

Published in: Pathophysiology 2015; 22 (1): 1-13

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A pooled analysis of case-control studies on glioma 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 brain tumors was conducted in the period 2007-2009. The results of this new study on meningioma are published in Carlberg et al (2013). The results of the pooled analysis for acoustic neuroma, 1997-2003 and 2007-2009, is available in the publication Hardell et al (2013).

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor: glioma

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

- mobile communications
- mobile phone
- analog mobile phone
- digital mobile phone
- GSM
- UMTS
- NMT
- cordless phone
- personal

Assessment

questionnaire: use of wireless phones (mobile phones and cordless phones), ear most frequently used during calling

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- to 25- year latency period
Group 8	analog mobile phone > 25 year latency period
Group 9	digital (2G) mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 10	digital (2G) mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 11	digital (2G) mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 12	digital (2G) mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 13	digital (2G) mobile phone > 15- to 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	analog + digital mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 18	analog + digital mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 19	analog + digital mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 20	analog + digital mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 21	analog + digital mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 22	analog + digital mobile phone > 20-to 25-year latency period
Group 23	analog + digital mobile phone > 25 -year latency period
Group 24	cordless phone > 1 year latency period
Group 25	cordless phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 26	cordless phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 27	cordless phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 28	cordless phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 29	cordless phone > 20- to 25-year latency period
Group 30	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 1 year latency period
Group 31	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 32	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 33	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 34	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 35	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 20- to 25- year latency period
Group 36	mobile phone + cordless phone > 1 year latency period
Group 37	mobile phone + cordless phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 38	mobile phone + cordless phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 39	mobile phone + cordless phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 40	mobile phone + cordless phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 41	mobile phone + cordless phone > 20- to 25-year latency period
Group 42	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, whole country 1997-2000)

Case group

Characteristics: brain tumor, histopathologically verified
Data source: oncology centres
Exclusion criteria: deceased

Control group

Selection:
- population-based
Matching:
- sex
- 5-year age group

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	1,691	4,038
Participants	1,498	3,530
Participation rate	89 %	87 %

Other:

1380 patients with glioma

Statistical analysis method:

unconditional logistic regression

(adjustment:

age
sex
socioeconomic status
year of diagnosis

)

Results (acc. to author)

Mobile phone use increased the risk of glioma (group 17: OR 1.3, CI 1.1-1.6), increasing to OR 3.0 (CI 1.7-5.2) in the > 25 year latency group. An increased risk was observed with the use of cordless phones (group 24: OR 1.4, CI 1.1-1.7), with highest risk in the >15-20 year latency group (group 28: OR 1.7, CI 1.1-2.5). The OR increased statistically significant both per 100 h of cumulative use (OR 1.011, CI 1.008-1.014), and per year of latency for mobile and cordless phone use (OR 1.032, CI 1.019-1.046). An increased risk was found for ipsilateral mobile phone use (OR 1.8, CI 1.4-2.2) and cordless phone use (OR 1.7, CI 1.3-2.1). First use of mobile before the age of 20 gave higher OR (OR 1.8, CI 1.2-2.8) for glioma than in later age groups (20-49 years: OR 1.3, CI 1.1-1.6; 50 years and older: OR 1.3, KI 1.1-1.6); similar results were observed for cordless phone use.
The authors conclude that this pooled analysis gives further support that mobile phone and cordless phone use increases the risk for glioma.

Study funded by

Cancer och Allergifonden (Cancer and Allergy Foundation), Sweden
Cancerhjälpen (Cancerhelp), Sweden
Kone Foundation, Finland
Pandora Foundation, Germany

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