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Study: Cell Phone Use Not Linked to Cancer Risk

December 5, 2006

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Long or short-term cell phone use is not associated with increased cancer risk, according to a study in current issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The latest findings contradict the widely published analysis of two Swedish studies which reported an increased risk of brain tumors linked to use of wireless phones over more than 10 years.

The widespread use of cell phones has raised concerns about health risks among users. Cell phone antennas emit electromagnetic fields that can penetrate into the human brain, and scientists have wondered if this might cause tumors in the head or neck.

Joachim Schüz, Ph.D., of the Danish Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen, Denmark, and colleagues performed a study of 420,095 cell phone users who first subscribed between 1982 and 1995 and were followed through 2002 for cancer incidence.

The authors did not observe an association between long or short-term cell phone use and brain tumors, salivary gland tumors, eye tumors, or leukemias.

In cell phone users who had subscribed over 10 years, they found no link between cell phone use and brain tumor risk. They suggest that cell phone use is not linked to cancer risk.

"The methods used suggest that the use of cellular telephones does not pose a substantial risk of brain tumors among short-term or long-term users," the authors write.

Swedish Studies Raise Concerns

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in April that it would review the health effects of wireless phones after the Swedish analysis suggested long-term use may be linked to a risk of brain cancer. The findings were inconsistent with earlier studies and difficult to interpret, the FDA said.

The Swedish study found that those who heavily used wireless phones had a 240 percent increased risk of a cancerous tumor on the side of the head where they used their phone. Researchers at the Swedish National Institute for Working Life compared data from 2,200 cancer patients and an equal number of healthy patients.

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