Extensive Cell Phone Use Linked To Brain Tumors, Swedish Study

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Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 01 Apr 2006 - 14:00 PDT

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According to a Swedish study, if you spend many years using your cell phone for at least an hour a day your risk of developing a brain tumor is 240% higher than a person who never uses one. The results of this study go against another recent one carried out in the UK and published in January, 2006, which indicated that cell phone use is safe for humans.

The researchers found that even the location of the tumor, for extensive cell phone users over many years, tends to be on the side of the head where the phone is used.

You can read about this study in the International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health.

The scientists examined cell phone use among 905 people who had a malignant brain tumor and compared them to a control group of 905 healthy people. All the volunteers were aged 20-80.

85 of the 905 people who had a malignant tumor were high users of cell phones (mobile phones) - they started using mobile phones a long time ago, and have used them a great deal, on average for about an hour a day.

According to Kjell Mild, study leader, in an interview with the Reuters news agency, the best way to reduce the risk is to use hands-free.

The team's definition of a extensive use means over 2,000 hours of cell phone use, spread over many years.

(Cell Phone = Mobile Phone. In the UK people tend to say Mobile Phone).

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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