Epidemiological study (observational study)

Time trend in incidence of malignant neoplasms of the central nervous system in relation to mobile phone use among young people in Japan epidem.

By: Sato Y, Kiyohara K, Kojimahara N, Yamaguchi N

Published in: Bioelectromagnetics 2016; 37 (5): 282-289

Aim of study (acc. to author)

Time trends of the incidence rates of malignant neoplasms of the central nervous system among young people (aged 10-39 years) were investigated in Japan in association with the increasing trend of mobile phone use in this age group.

Further details

Data on mobile phone usage were extracted from a nationwide survey with 7,550 participants between July 2008 and December 2012, and follow-up continued until March 2013.
The expected incidence rates from 1993 to 2010 by sex and 10-year age groups were calculated assuming that the relative risk was 1.4 for those who used mobile phones more than 1640 h cumulatively based on the results of the Interphone study (2010). Furthermore, expected incidence rates for relative risks of 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0, 10.0, or 12.0 were calculated for further comparison.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor: malignant neoplasms of the central nervous system
childhood brain/CNS tumor

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(standardized incidence rate (SIR))

Exposure

- mobile communications
- mobile phone

Assessment

questionnaire: survey for mobile phone use
calculation: proportion of persons who had used mobile phones for calling more than 1640 h by sex and 10-year age groups

Population

Group:
- men
- women
- children
Age: 10–39 years
Observation period: 1993 - 2010
Study location: Japan
Data source: National Cancer Center Japan

Statistical analysis method:

joinpoint regression

Results (acc. to author)

For children and adolescents aged 10-19 years the incidence rates for malignant neoplasms of the central nervous system did not show any significantly increasing trend from 1993 to 2010. On the other hand, the changes in incidence rates were 0.92 per 100,000 people for men in their 20s, 0.83 for women in their 20s, 0.89 for men in their 30s, and 0.74 for women in their 30s. In comparison the change in expected incidence rates from 1993 to 2010 was 0.08 per 100,000 people for men in their 20s, 0.03 for women in their 20s, 0.15 for men in their 30s, and 0.05 for women in their 30s.
The authors conclude that the incidence rate of malignant neoplasms of the central nervous system has increased significantly in men and women aged 20-29 years and 30-39 years from 1993 to 2010 in Japan. However, patterns in sex-, age-, and period-specific incidence increases for malignant neoplasms of the central nervous system are inconsistent with sex-, age-, and period-specific prevalence trends of heavy mobile phone use, suggesting that the overall incidence increase cannot be explained by heavy mobile phone use.

Study funded by

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan

de Vocht F (2016): Inferring the 1985-2014 impact of mobile phone use on selected brain cancer subtypes using Bayesian structural time series and synthetic controls
Grell K et al. (2016): The Intracranial Distribution of Gliomas in Relation to Exposure From Mobile Phones: Analyses From the INTERPHONE Study
Chapman S et al. (2016): Has the incidence of brain cancer risen in Australia since the introduction of mobile phones 29 years ago?
Yoon S et al. (2015): Mobile phone use and risk of glioma: a case-control study in Korea for 2002-2007
Kim SJH et al. (2015): Trends in incidence of primary brain cancer in New Zealand, 1995 to 2010
Coureau G et al. (2014): Mobile phone use and brain tumours in the CERENAT case-control study
Hsu MH et al. (2013): The incidence rate and mortality of malignant brain tumors after 10 years of intensive cell phone use in Taiwan
Deltour I et al. (2012): Mobile Phone Use and Incidence of Glioma in the Nordic Countries 1979-2008: Consistency Check
Barchana M et al. (2012): Changes in brain glioma incidence and laterality correlates with use of mobile phones - a nationwide population based study in Israel
Little MP et al. (2012): Mobile phone use and glioma risk: comparison of epidemiological study results with incidence trends in the United States
Ding LX et al. (2011): Increasing incidence of brain and nervous tumours in urban Shanghai, China, 1983-2007
Frei P et al. (2011): Use of mobile phones and risk of brain tumours: update of Danish cohort study
Aydin D et al. (2011): Mobile phone use and brain tumors in children and adolescents: a multicenter case-control study
Cardis E et al. (2011): Risk of brain tumours in relation to estimated RF dose from mobile phones: results from five Interphone countries
de Vocht F et al. (2011): Time trends (1998-2007) in brain cancer incidence rates in relation to mobile phone use in England
Lehrer S et al. (2011): Association between number of cell phone contracts and brain tumor incidence in nineteen U.S. States
Inskip PD et al. (2010): Brain cancer incidence trends in relation to cellular telephone use in the United States
INTERPHONE Study Group et al. (2010): Brain tumour risk in relation to mobile telephone use: results of the INTERPHONE international case-control study
Deltour I et al. (2009): Time trends in brain tumor incidence rates in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, 1974-2003
Ahlbom A et al. (2009): Epidemiologic evidence on mobile phones and tumor risk: a review
Schüz J et al. (2006): Cellular telephone use and cancer risk: update of a nationwide Danish cohort
Lönn S et al. (2004): Incidence trends of adult primary intracerebral tumors in four Nordic countries
Cook A et al. (2003): Cellular telephone use and time trends for brain, head and neck tumours
Johansen C et al. (2001): Cellular telephones and cancer--a nationwide cohort study in Denmark