I don’t have a brilliant memory, but occasionally something someone tells me does somehow stick in my mind. One such memory I have concerns a patient I saw some years ago. He had had a brain tumour (I forget what sort) removed, and was interested in supporting his convalescence and general health through nutrition. During our consultation he remarked that he had a son that also had had a brain tumour. I asked if his doctors thought there was any genetic link. He replied in the negative, and told me it was his opinion that mobile phones were the cause. This man went on to tell me that both he and his son were early adopters of this technology, and by their own admission were heavy users too.
He went on to tell me a story about an experience he had after he had had his operation. He was sitting in a packed waiting room full of post-surgical patients. Nearly all the patients in the room had had brain tumours removed and the scars to prove it. A conversation about mobile phones started in the waiting room, so my patients decided to take a straw poll there and then. All the patients who had had brain tumours turned out to be mobile phone users. Now, there’s nothing particularly telling here I think, because mobile phone use is so common. However, my patients went one better in his poll by then asking each individual which ear they habitually held their mobile phone to. He reported to me that the side they indicated matched the side of their tumour in every case.
This is all purely anecdotal observation and all that, and doesn’t prove a thing, but this memory came back to me this morning after reading about some research which was announced recently at the Royal Society during a conference held by the Radiation Research Trust. The research was conducted by a team led by Professor Lennart Hardell of the University Hospital in Orebro in Sweden. It has not been formally published yet, though from what I can make out, the data has come from a previously published piece of research from Professor Hardell [1].
The research focused on the risk of specific tumours in individuals who started to use mobile phones before the age of 20. Younger people were the target for this research because they are believed to be more susceptible to the electromagnetic radiation that emanates from mobile phones, partly because their skulls are thinner and may allow the radiation to penetrate deeper into the brain.
The research found that individuals who started mobile phone use before the age of 20 were at very significantly increased (more than 5-fold) risk of brain tumours known as ‘gliomas’ as well as benign (non-cancerous) tumours on the main nerve responsible for hearing known as ‘acoustic neuromas’. According to reports, use of cordless home phones were at significantly elevated risk of glioma too.
Individuals who started to use mobile handsets in their 20s were also at increased risk of glioma and acoustic neuroma, though the enhanced risk was smaller than that seen in the earlier users: risk of glioma and acoustic neuroma was up about 50 and 100 per cent respectively. Professor Hardell is quoted as saying: “This is a warning sign. It is very worrying. We should be taking precautions.”
It is perhaps interesting to note Professor Hardell’s previous work in this area, specifically a meta-analysis of studies looking at the relationship between mobile phone use and brain tumour risk [1]. Individuals using mobile phones in the long term (10 or more years) were found to be at an increased risk of glioma and acoustic neuroma on the side of phone use (risk was increased by 200 and 240 per cent respectively. Mobile phone use was not associated with increased risk of these tumours on the opposite side of the head to the one on which the phone is habitually held. The evidence as it hands supports the idea that long term mobile phone use is indeed associated with an increased risk of brain tumours, just like my patient thought it was all those years ago.
References:
1. Hardell L, et al. Meta-analysis of long-term mobile phone use and the association with brain tumours. Int J Oncol. 2008;32(5):1097-103
All very confusing, when other studies have shown no link:
2006
2008
Could the reason these other studies found no link be because large numbers of people included in the other studies did not start using their mobiles until they were older?
Methuselah – the BBC report is interesting. Sounds like if you’re predisposed for a brain tumor, you’ll tend to get it on the side of your head you hold the phone, but that there isn’t an overall increase in brain tumors.
One thing to think about is that phone technology has changed rapidly. Early adopters were using analog phones with a more concentrated energy band. Digital phones started to change this, and 3G phones (generally ones with high speed internet connections) in particular spread their transmit energy over a (relatively) wide range. A wide band means a much lower amount of radiation at a particular frequency will be shining on your head, and a much lower possibility of any biological disturbance.
While I haven’t come to any particular conclusions regarding this issue, I have seen reports that an increasing number of neuro-surgeons are reducing or ceasing use of a cell phone at their ear as a precaution, instead using a wired ear speaker/microphone. That might be one of those “can’t hurt, might help” practices.
Interesting anecdote, Richard. I think anyone with a vested interest in the mobile industry will call your experience a coincidence – much like any significant illness (or death) in relation to vaccination will be similarly dubbed by afficiandos of the vaccine-industrial-complex. There will never be any significant independent investigation.
For 3 years, whether I was out and about or while I was at work, I carried my palm sized mobile phone in my right trouser pocket. When I was 28 I was diagnosed with testicular cancer on the right-side. I wonder sometimes if the electromagnetic radiation from my mobile was a factor (probably among several) which caused stress to the DNA in my testicle resulting in cancer. I avoid unnecessary exposure nowadays.
I have a non malignant lump in my right breast and I’m convinced that it is since I’ve a blackberry stuck to my ‘Right’ ear. I get earache and feel dizzy when I’ve been on my blackberry for a while. I heard that ear pieces are just the same so what can we do to stop this. Unfortunately I have to use it for my work.
I just found this site after searching for information regarding Vitamin D3 supplementation during the winter. I am very pleased to have found this site and will add it to my informational arsenal. Dr. Briffa, please keep up the great work!
Hi
Interesting
Hardell’s research has now been published
You can access it here
http://www.wiredchild.org
For anyone worried about adverse health effects then they ought to know that the radiation intensity in the main beam of a phone mast is similar to having a wifi router or cordless phone inside the house. None of them good and many diseases can develop as a result of this exposure.