Cell phones, CANCER & BRAIN TUMOURS!

Link for this article:
http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/cellphonecancer.php

Cell phones and cancer are in the news all the time now it seems. But almost everyone uses cell phones. All over the world, tens of millions of people are pressing them against their heads for hours every day. In the U.S. it is estimated that there were at least 100 million cell phone users, as of early 2002, and that number has continued to climb.

So what's the fuss? Is cancer caused by cell phones a serious concern, or the media's panic-du-jour?

A cell phone, and a household cordless phone, use a low level form of microwave radiation to send and receive their signals. (see "How do cell phones work" here.) Microwaves, as you know, are used to cook food. As the radiation penetrates tissue it causes it to heat.

Is this a problem for us with cell phones? That is the current debate. Let's examine the positions and the known evidence, without hype or prejudice. As always, EHSO will provide citations and links to the sources of any evidence provided, so you can verify it for yourself.
Positions, pro and con:
Cell phones are dangerous:

* They emit microwaves.
* You hold the source of the emission against your brain
* There are claims that people have had brain tumors in the exact size, shape and position as the antenna on their cell phone.

Cell phones are safe:

* Cell phones use a very, very low level of radio frequency (rf) energy - too low to cause damage.
* The type of energy emitted is non-ionizing - meaning it doesn't cause damage to chemical bonds or dna.
* Hundreds of millions of people have been using cell phones and cordless phones for years. If there were a problem, we would have seen it by now.


Studies, Facts and Evidence
What is the radiation produced by a cell phone?

Like televisions, alarm systems, computers, and all other electrical devices, Cell phones (also called mobile phones) are radio devices that use Radiofrequency (Rf) energy emit electromagnetic radiation. They operate at low power (less than 1 watt) by transmitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation in the radiofrequency (RF) end of the spectrum. Radiation which is called "ionizing" can be absorbed by tissue and break molecules apart, such as gamma rays and x-rays, are known to cause cancer. The concern is that the cell phone and it's antenna (the source of the radiation) are held close against the head)

Many experts say that no matter how near the cell phone's antenna--even if it's right up against the skull--the six-tenths of a watt (typically) of power emitted couldn't possibly affect human health.
Scientific Studies to Date

Some mobile phone users have been diagnosed with brain cancer, and many others who have not used mobile phones have gotten the disease, too. Each year in the United States, brain cancer occurs at a rate of about six new cases per 100,000 people. Among the 100 million Americans who own mobile phones, then, about 6,000 cases of brain cancer would be expected among them in a year, even if they had not used mobile phones.

Two types of studies are generally used to investigate suspected cancer causes: epidemiological studies, which look at the incidence of a disease in certain groups of people, and animal studies.


Studies in animals are easier to control, but entail complications of their own. For example, how should results obtained in rats and mice be interpreted in terms of human health risks? And how can scientists account for the fact that these studies sometimes expose animals to RF almost continuously--up to 22 hours a day--and to whole-body radiation, unlike people's head-only exposure?

While studies generally have shown no link between cell phones and brain cancer, there is some conflicting scientific evidence that may be worth additional study, according to FDA. (See "Studies"). The FDA says on their website that they are closely following ongoing research into whether there might be any association between cell phones and cancer.


There are some simple steps that cell phone users can take to reduce any remaining risk:

* First, use a headset or speakerphone mode. That moves the phone (and it's antenna) away from your head.
* Second, consider reserving the use of mobile phones for shorter conversations or when a conventional phone is not available.
* Third, the effects of cellular damage are greatest on growing, developing organisms (i.e., the young), so limit children's use of cell phones!
* Finally, in a car, use an external antenna mounted outside the vehicle to move the source of the radiation farther from you! :D