Mobile Phone Use Unrelated to Increased Glioma Risk

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Mar 23 - While mobile phone use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of glioma, according to a new study, the intense use of these phones over many years may change the association and promote the growth of malignant brain tumors.
"Public concern has been expressed about the possible adverse health effects of mobile telephones, mainly related to intracranial tumors," Dr. Anna Lahkola, of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Helsinki, and colleagues write in the April 15th issue of the International Journal of Cancer.
In a population-based, case-control study, the researchers examined the relationship between mobile phone use and risk of glioma. The study was carried out in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and England between 2000 and 2004. Included were 1521 glioma patients and 3301 controls. Information on mobile phone use was collected using personal interviews.
Overall, 92% (1389) of cases and 94% (2945) of controls reported ever using a mobile phone. The investigators found no evidence of increased glioma risk related to regular mobile phone use (odds ratio = 0.78).
There were no significant associations observed with duration of use, years since first use, cumulative number of calls, or cumulative hours of use. When the team examined the linear trend, the OR for cumulative hours of use was 1.006 per 100 hours. There was also no relationship between glioma and years of use or number of calls.