Epidemiological study (observational study)

Pooled analysis of Swedish case-control studies during 1997-2003 and 2007-2009 on meningioma risk associated with the use of mobile and cordless phones epidem.

By: Carlberg M, Hardell L

Published in: Oncol Rep 2015; 33 (6): 3093-3098

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A pooled analysis of case-control studies on meningioma 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 is published in the publications Hardell et al (2002) and Hardell et al (2003). The second study covering the period 2000-2003 is 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 more recent 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, are available in the publication Hardell et al (2013).

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor: meningioma

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

- mobile communications
- mobile phone
- analog mobile phone
- digital mobile phone
- cordless phone

Assessment

questionnaire: use of mobile phone and cordless phones, first year of use, type of phone, use of hands-free devices, preferred ear during calls

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, 3G) mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 10	digital (2G, 3G) mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 11	digital (2G, 3G) mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 12	digital (2G, 3G) mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 13	digital (2G, 3G) mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 14	digital (2G, 3G) mobile phone > 20- to 25 -year latency period
Group 15	digital (2G, 3G) mobile phone > 25-year latency period
Group 16	mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 17	mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 18	mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 19	mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 20	mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 21	mobile phone > 20- to 25-year latency period
Group 22	mobile phone > 25-year latency period
Group 23	cordless phone > 1 year latency period
Group 24	cordless phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 25	cordless phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 26	cordless phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 27	cordless phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 28	cordless phone > 20- to 25-year latency period
Group 29	cordless phone > 25-year latency period
Group 30	wireless phone (mobile phones and cordless phones) > 1 year latency period
Group 31	wireless phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 32	wireless phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 33	wireless phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 34	wireless phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 35	wireless phone > 20- to 25-year latency period
Group 36	wireless phone > 25-year latency period
Group 37	cumulative use, 1st quartile: 1-122 h
Group 38	cumulative use, 2nd quartile: 123-511 h
Group 39	cumulative use, 3rd quartile: 512-1486 h
Group 40	cumulative use, 4th quartile: > 1486 h

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: 18–80 years
Observation period: 1997 - 2003, 2007 - 2009
Study location: Sweden

Case group

Characteristics: meningioma, histopathologically verified
Data source: cancer registry

Control group

Matching:
- sex
- age

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Participants	1,625	3,530

Statistical analysis method:

unconditional logistic regression

(adjustment:

age
sex
socioeconomic status
year of diagnosis

)

Results (acc. to author)

Overall, no association between meningioma risk and use of mobile phone or cordless phones was found. In the highest exposure group (group 40: cumulative use of more than 1,436 h), a statistically non-significant increased risk was found for mobile phones (OR 1.2, Cl 0.9-1.6) and a statistically significant increased risk was observed for cordless phones (OR l.7, Cl 1.3-2.2). Among persons with a cumulative use of more than 3,358 h, a somewhat higher risk was found (mobile phones: OR 1.5, Cl 0.99-2.1; cordless phones: OR 2.0, Cl 1.4-2.8). In addition, the longest latency time gave somewhat increased risk for both phone types although the result was not statistically significant. There was no association for ipsilateral use or anatomical tumor location.
The authors concluded that the findings showed somewhat increased risk among heavy users of mobile phones and cordless phones. Since meningioma is generally a slow-growing tumor, longer latency period is necessary for definitive conclusions.

Study funded by

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

Grell K et al. (2016): The Intracranial Distribution of Gliomas in Relation to Exposure From Mobile Phones: Analyses From the INTERPHONE Study
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
Coureau G et al. (2014): Mobile phone use and brain tumours in the CERENAT case-control study
Lagorio S et al. (2014): Mobile phone use and risk of intracranial tumors: A consistency analysis
Hardell L et al. (2013): Case-control study of the association between malignant brain tumours diagnosed between 2007 and 2009 and mobile and cordless phone use
Hardell L et al. (2013): Pooled analysis of case-control studies on acoustic neuroma diagnosed 1997-2003 and 2007-2009 and use of mobile and cordless phones
Carlberg M et al. (2013): Meningioma patients diagnosed 2007--2009 and the association with use of mobile and cordless phones: a case-control study
Frei P et al. (2011): Use of mobile phones and risk of brain tumours: update of Danish cohort study
Cardis E et al. (2011): Risk of brain tumours in relation to estimated RF dose from mobile phones: results from five Interphone countries
Hardell L et al. (2011): Pooled analysis of case-control studies on malignant brain tumours and the use of mobile and cordless phones including living and deceased subjects
INTERPHONE Study Group et al. (2010): Brain tumour risk in relation to mobile telephone use: results of the INTERPHONE international case-control study
Myung SK et al. (2009): Mobile phone use and risk of tumors: a meta-analysis
Deltour I et al. (2009): Time trends in brain tumor incidence rates in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, 1974-2003
Hardell L et al. (2009): Mobile phones, cordless phones and the risk for brain tumours
Hardell L et al. (2009): Epidemiological evidence for an association between use of wireless phones and tumor diseases
Lahkola A et al. (2008): Meningioma and mobile phone use - a collaborative case-control study in five North European countries
Hardell L et al. (2008): Meta-analysis of long-term mobile phone use and the association with brain tumours
Takebayashi T et al. (2008): Mobile phone use, exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic field, and brain tumour: a case-control study
Kan P et al. (2008): Cellular phone use and brain tumor: a meta-analysis
Klaeboe L et al. (2007): Use of mobile phones in Norway and risk of intracranial tumours
Berg G et al. (2006): Occupational exposure to radio frequency/microwave radiation and the risk of brain tumors: Interphone Study Group, Germany
Lahkola A et al. (2006): Meta-analysis of mobile phone use and intracranial tumors
Schüz J et al. (2006): Cellular phones, cordless phones, and the risks of glioma and meningioma (Interphone Study Group, Germany)
Hardell L et al. (2006): Pooled analysis of two case-control studies on the use of cellular and cordless telephones and the risk of benign brain tumours diagnosed during 1997-2003
Lönn S et al. (2005): Long-term mobile phone use and brain tumor risk
Hardell L et al. (2005): Case-Control Study on Cellular and Cordless Telephones and the Risk for Acoustic Neuroma or Meningioma in Patients Diagnosed 2000-2003
Christensen HC et al. (2005): Cellular telephones and risk for brain tumors: a population-based, incident case-control study
Inskip PD et al. (2001): Cellular-telephone use and brain tumors