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A recent World Health Organization (WHO) review has found no evidence connecting mobile phone use to brain cancer, despite earlier worries about potential risks.
Despite the lack of firm evidence linking long-term mobile phone use with cancer, the potential risks remain a topic of scientific debate and concern for some users. Radiofrequency technology, which is non-ionizing and does not directly cause cancer, can heat tissues and induce metabolic activity, but current evidence suggests it does not damage cells in a way that would lead to cancer.
A recent review commissioned by the WHO has further addressed these concerns. Titled “The Effect of Exposure to Radiofrequency Fields on Cancer Risk in the General and Working Population,” the review found no evidence suggesting that mobile phone use increases the risk of brain cancer.
No link between mobile phones and brain cancer, WHO-backed study sayshttps://t.co/R78CVpZzjp
— McGovern Med School (@McGovernMed) September 4, 2024
The Association With Which Types of Cancers Was Examined?
The review examined data from 63 studies conducted between 1994 and 2022, focusing on the quality and reliability of evidence regarding the link between radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) and cancer risk. Carried out by 11 researchers from 10 countries, including The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), the review assessed various RF-EMF sources such as cellphones, baby monitors, TVs, and radar.
The review found no significant links between mobile phone use and cancers such as glioma, meningioma, acoustic neuroma, or pediatric brain tumors. These results were consistent even for those who frequently make long phone calls or have been using mobile phones for over a decade. Additionally, occupational RF exposure did not show an increased risk for glioma.
The Need for Reclassification and Continued Research
This review supports earlier statements by the WHO and other health organizations, which have found no conclusive evidence of adverse health impacts of cellphone radiation but have called for ongoing research. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) currently classifies radio waves as “possibly carcinogenic” (Class 2B), a category also including substances like talcum powder and aloe vera, where a potential cancer link cannot be ruled out.
The IARC advisory group has suggested reassessing this classification based on new data since its last evaluation in 2011. The WHO is anticipated to release its revised assessment in the first quarter of 2025, following calls for a re-evaluation of the classification based on new data.
Ken Karipidis, the lead author, acknowledged that previous studies linking cellphone radiation to brain cancers had methodological issues. He stressed that while the review addresses current concerns, ongoing research is essential as technology advances. Karipidis and his team are now investigating potential associations between mobile phones and other cancers, such as leukemia.
Ongoing research is important given the widespread use of mobile devices and their significant radiofrequency energy output.
