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Large-Scale Studies Show No Link Between Cell Phones & Brain Cancer

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December 21, 2000
Two rigorous new studies have found no link between cell phone use and brain tumors. Researchers called the findings "reassuring" but noted that since some cancers take years to develop, the studies should be repeated at regular intervals to measure longterm effects.

Ninety million Americans now use cell phones, a number that has risen steeply in recent years. Brain cancer strikes about 16,500 Americans per year, a number that has been relatively static.

One study was supported by the National Cancer Institute and is being published in the New England Journal of Medicine while the other was paid for by the cell-phone industry and federal agencies and is being published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The National Cancer Institute's study looked at 782 patients with tumors of the brain or acoustic nerve and compared their cell phone usage with 799 patients of the same sex, race and age who did not have brain tumors.

The other study, conducted by the American Health Foundation, used similar methodology. It compared the cell phone habits of 469 persons wtih brain cancer with that of 422 individuals of the same sex, race and age who did not have brain tumors.

Neither study found any correlation between cell phone usage and brain cancer.

"Based on the published evidence to date, I don't think there's any evidence that cell phones cause cancer," said Dr. Peter Inskip, co-director of the National Cancer Institute study.

Several other large studies are nearing conclusion and are also said to be negative. Likewise, a large study recently published in Denmark found no heightened incidence of brain cancer in thousands of cell phone users identified from telephone company records.

Earlier Studies
Earlier studies had raised concerns about cell phone safety and some skeptics remain unconvinced. Dr. George L. Csrlo headed the Wireless Technology Research group when it conducted one of the earlier studies. He said the latest research was inadequate, and said recent studies indicate microwave transmissions can cause genetic damage and could weaken the brain-blood barrier.

Carlo is the author of a newly-published book, "Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age." Other researchers said Carlo's findings had not been replicated.

The notion that microwave radiation -- the type emitted by cell phones -- damages brain cells is false, said Dr. Robert L. Park of the University of Maryland in a recent New York Times report. All microwave radiation can do is generate heat. But he said cell phone emissions are so weak that even heating is not a serious issue.

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