Epidemiological study (observational study)

Further aspects on cellular and cordless telephones and brain tumours epidem.

By: Hardell L, Hansson Mild K, Carlberg M

Published in: Int J Oncol 2003; 22 (2): 399-407

Aim of study (acc. to author)

In this study, further analyses were performed on the database of a Swedish case-control study (see publication 9105) on the use of cellular telephones and cordless telephones and the risk of brain tumors.

Further details

Furthermore, there are additional analyses of the database of the same case-control study (publication 9105) published in publications 9361, 11953 and 12393.
Subjects without exposure to cellular phone or cordless phone were classified as unexposed.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

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

Assessment

questionnaire: type of phone, years of use, brand name, first part of number (to differentiate between analog and digital), mean number and minutes of daily calls, use in car with fixed external antenna or hands-free device, ear most frequently used during calls
interview: supplementing data
calculation: cumulative use in hours

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	unexposed
Group 2	analog, 450 MHz, > 1 year latency
Group 3	analog, 450 MHz, > 5 years latency
Group 4	analog, 450 MHz, > 10 years latency
Group 5	analog, 900 MHz, > 1 year latency
Group 6	analog, 900 MHz, > 5 years latency
Group 7	analog, 900 MHz, > 10 years latency
Group 8	analog, all, > 1 year latency
Group 9	analog, all, > 5 years latency
Group 10	analog, all, >10 years latency
Group 11	analog, ≤ 85 h, > 1 year latency
Group 12	analog, ≤ 85 h, > 5 years latency
Group 13	analog, ≤ 85 h, >10 years latency
Group 14	analog, > 85 h, > 1 year latency
Group 15	analog, > 85 h, > 5 years latency
Group 16	analog, > 85 h, > 10 years latency
Group 17	digital, all, > 1 year latency
Group 18	digital, all, > 5 years latency
Group 19	digital, all, >10 years latency
Group 20	digital, ≤ 55 h, > 1 year latency
Group 21	digital, ≤ 55 h, > 5 years latency
Group 22	digital, ≤ 55 h, >10 years latency
Group 23	digital, > 55 h, > 1 year latency
Group 24	digital, > 55 h, > 5 years latency
Group 25	digital, > 55 h, >10 years latency
Group 26	cordless, all, > 1 year latency
Group 27	cordless, all, > 5 years latency
Group 28	cordless, all, > 10 years latency
Group 29	cordless, ≤ 183 h, > 1 year latency
Group 30	cordless, ≤ 183 h, > 5 years latency
Group 31	cordless, ≤ 183 h, > 10 years latency
Group 32	cordless, > 183 h, > 1 year latency
Group 33	cordless, > 183 h, > 5 years latency
Group 34	cordless, > 183 h, > 10 years latency
Group 35	analog, brain hemisphere ipsilateral
Group 36	digital, brain hemisphere ipsilateral
Group 37	cordless, brain hemisphere ipsilateral
Group 38	analog, brain hemisphere contralateral
Group 39	digital, brain hemisphere contralateral
Group 40	cordless, brain hemisphere contralateral
Group 41	analog, temporal area, ipsilateral
Group 42	digital, temporal area, ipsilateral
Group 43	cordless, temporal area, ipsilateral
Group 44	analog, temporal area, contralateral
Group 45	digital, temporal area, contralateral
Group 46	cordless, temporal area, contralateral

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: 20–80 years
Observation period: January 1997 - June 2000
Study location: Sweden (Uppsala/Örebro, Stockholm, Linköping and Göteborg regions)

Case group

Characteristics: brain tumor, histopathologically verified
Data source: Cancer Registry
Exclusion criteria: deceased

Control group

Selection:
- population-based
Matching:
- sex
- area
- 5-year age group
- case:control = 1:1

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	1,617	-
Contacted	1,617	1,617
Participants	1,429	1,470
Participation rate	88 %	91 %

Statistical analysis method:

unconditional logistic regression

(adjustment:

age
sex
socioeconomic status

)

Results (acc. to author)

The results showed an increased risk of brain tumor for use of analog cellular phones, but not for digital cellular phones or cordless phones. The risk of brain tumor was increased among ipsilateral users of analog and digital cellular phones, also for users of cordless phones, but not significantly.

Study funded by

Cancer och Allergifonden (Cancer and Allergy Foundation), Sweden
Örebro Cancer Fund, Sweden
Swedish Work Environment Fund
Telia, Sweden

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Leitgeb N (2014): Synoptic Analysis of Epidemiologic Evidence of Brain Cancer Risks from Mobile Communication
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