WHO will admit cell phones raise brain cancer risk*

The World Health Organization will soon announce that long-term use of cell phones may be linked to elevated risk of some types of brain cancers, London's Daily Telegraph reported on Oct 24.

The conclusion, which is reportedly still inconclusive, is derived from a landmark international study overseen by the WHO that has lasted for decades and cost £20 million.

The study of more than 12,800 people in 13 countries between 2000 and 2004 found in some previous studies a "significant increased risk" of some brain tumors related to use of mobile phones for a period of 10 years or more.

The interphone study, a project actually sponsored by the companies that have interest in the telecommunication business, still found nothing definitive.

A spokesman for the Mobile Operators Association was cited by the London newspaper as saying more than 30 scientific reviews had found no adverse health effects of using cell phones.

But critics said the studies that disproved the cancer-cell phone link tended to be low quality and sponsored by the industry.

This month, a comprehensive meta-analysis of 23 previous epidemiological studies all together showed no connection between cell phone use and elevated risk of brain cancer.

The authors of the review said that seven of eight high quality studies mostly conducted by Dr. Lennart Hardell, an oncologist in Sweden proved that long term use of cell phones dramatically increased risk of a malignant brain tumor.

Joel M. Moskowitz, coauthor of the study and director of the UC Berkeley Center for Family and Community Health, said when they used eight quality studies only, they found cellphone users had a 10 to 30 percent increased risk of cancer compared with those who rarely used cell phones or mobile phones.

The risk was remarkably higher in those who used cell phones for more than 10 years compared with those who did not use cell phones at all, the researchers said.

Dr. Hardell reviewed previous studies and published his findings in the April 2007 issue of Occupational and Environmental Medicine showing that the risk of brain cancers in long-term cellphone users was much higher than the meta-analysis.

To evaluate brain tumor risk among long-term users of cell phones, Hardell reviewed two cohort and 16 case-control studies and found of the 16 case-control studies, 11 gave results for more than 10-year use of cell phones. Of these studies, four associated elevated risk of acoustic neuroma in those who used cell phones for more than 10 years.

Only one study did not show a link. But it found that the tumor size was significantly bigger in cell phone users.

Specifically, ipsilateral cell phone use (or use of cell phones on the same side) would increase risk of acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor, by 140 percent and risk of glioma by 100 percent. High grade of glioma is malignant or it is a type of cancer.

Hardell concluded that "Results from present studies on use of mobile phones for > or =10 years give a consistent pattern of increased risk for acoustic neuroma and glioma. The risk is highest for ipsilateral exposure."

Of the studies included in the meta-analysis, some of the less-stringent studies were part of the Interphone project under the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer.

The program was sponsored in part by the Mobile Manufacturers Forum and the Global System for Mobile Communication Association, which have high stakes in the cell phone business.

The conclusion the WHO will report may still be inconclusive and it may not have an affect on how people use cell phones.

The risk largely depends on whom consumers would trust. If they don't trust the industry, they would trust the studies conducted by Dr. Hardell. If they trust the industry, there will be no risk.

In any case, the WHO is expected to announce that long term use of cell phones is associated with increased risk of brain malignancy. However, consumers need to understand that damage can be caused using the modern technology for less than 10 years.

Those who can not avoid using cell phones for business or otherwise may consider the advice offered by the Environmental Working Group as listed below to minimize their exposure to radiation.

1. Use a low-level radiation cell phone. Check out www.ewg.org for the best 10 cell phones that emit low-level radiation.

2. Use a headset or speaker. Headsets emit much less radiation than cell phones. Choose either wireless or wired headsets. Some headsets continuously emit low level radiation and it is advised that you should take it off your ear when you are not using your cell phone. Using your cell phone in speaker mode also reduces radiation to the brain.

3. Listen more and talk less. Cell phones emit radiation when you talk or text, but not when you are receiving signals or messages.

4. Hold your cell phone away from your body. When you use your headset or speaker, hold your cell phone away from your torso. Do not press your phone against your ear; place it in a pocket or on your belt.

5. Text more, and talk less. Cell phones use more power when you talk than text.

6. Stop trying to communicate when the signal is poor. Poor signals mean your cell phone needs to send stronger signals (high level radiation) to the tower.

7. Don’t allow your children to use or play with your cell phones. Don’t let them play with your cell phones when your phone is active. Children’s brains absorb twice as much radiation as adults’.

8. Don’t use the "radiation shield". Radiation shields such as antenna caps or keypad covers reduce the connection quality and force the machine to emit higher radiation to deliver a stronger signal.

Source:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/mobile-phones /6420093/Long-term-use-of-mobile-phones-may-be-linked-to-cancer.html

By David Liu and editing by Sheilah Downey