Cell phone hazards

[Nictoe]

Long-term mobile phone use raises brain tumor risk

STOCKHOLM (Reuters)

The use of mobile phones over a long period of time can raise the risk for brain tumors, a new Swedish study said on Friday, contradicting the conclusions of other researchers.

The Dutch Health Council, in an overview of research from around the world, last year found no evidence radiation from mobile phones and TV towers was harmful. A four-year British survey released in January showed no link between regular, long-term use of cell phones and the most common type of tumor.

However, researchers at the Swedish National Institute for Working Life said they looked at the mobile phone use of 905 people between the age of 20 and 80 who had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and found a link.

"A total 85 of these 905 cases were so-called high users of mobile phones, that is they began early to use mobile and, or wireless telephones and used them a lot," the study said.

"The study also shows that the rise in risk is noticeable for tumors on the side of the head where the phone was said to be used," it added.

Kjell Mild, who led the study, said the figures meant that heavy users of mobile phones, for instance of who make mobile phone calls for 2,000 hours or more in their life, had a 240 percent increased risk for a malignant tumor on the side of the head the phone is used.

"The way to get the risk down is to use handsfree," he told Reuters.

He said his study was the biggest yet to look at long-term users of the wireless phone, which has been around in Sweden in a portable form since 1984, longer than in many other countries.

[Fnord Fred]

MAKE UP YOUR MINDS!!!

"Warning: Using this phone may cause cancer. Or not. To be honest, we really can't decide. If you're worried about it, make sure you get the $200 bluetooth handsfree set that uses the exact same type of radiation: we're sure that'll help. We think."

[theLIBERTARIAN]

A few years back we were selling scooters. I remember talking to a guy that swore his cell phone gave him brain cancer. I felt horrible for the guy.

[Fnord Fred]

[bestsynd]

Heavy Cell Phone Use Linked To Brain Cancer – Mobile Phones May Cause Malignant Brain Tumors on Same Side of Head – Swedish Study

April 1st 2006


Mobile Phone Use

Swedish researchers believe that heavy users of cells phones have an increased risk of malignant brain tumors. This contradicts earlier studies. Research last year, conducted by the Dutch health Council, found no evidence that radiation from mobile phones and TV towers was harmful. Also, a four year British study found no link between regular, long-term use of cell phones and the most common type of tumor.

This new Swedish study released on Friday contradicted these earlier conclusions. The researchers at the Swedish National Institute for Working Life looked at the mobile phone use of 2,200 cancer patients and compared this to an equal number of healthy control cases.

Of the cancer patients, 905 had a malignant brain tumor and about a tenth of these patients were heavy mobile phone users. "Of these 905 cases, 85 were so-called high users of mobile phones, that is they began early to use mobile and/or wireless telephones and used them a lot," according to the researchers.

Complete Best Syndication Article

[Fnord Fred]

Say, any word on exactly how much usage 'a lot' is? An hour a day? Three hours?

[theLIBERTARIAN]

[Nictoe]

Australian research shows mobile phones affect brain function

Apr 27 7:05 AM US/Eastern

Radiation from mobile phone phones affects the way the brain works, Australian researchers have found.

Scientists from Swinburne University of Technology's Brain Sciences Institute in Melbourne found people's response times slowed during a 30-minute mobile phone call but their memory appeared to improve

The researchers conducted a series of psychological tests on 120 volunteers as they were exposed to mobile phone emissions for half an hour.

Another set of tests was conducted on volunteers who were not exposed to mobile phone radiation but thought they were.

The results, published in April's edition of the journal Neuropsychologia, showed a small but discernable change in brain function among those who were exposed to the electromagnetic fields that mobile phones generate.

"The study showed evidence of slower response times for participants undertaking simple reactions and more complex reactions, such as choosing a response when there is more than one alternative," lead researcher Con Stough said.

"This could equate to driving a car and being distracted by another car pulling out in front of you. The drivers reaction time to chose between braking, turning or sounding the horn, could be affected, albeit slightly.

"The study also found that radiation from mobile phones seems to improve working memory, used for example when remembering a phone number long enough to dial it."

He said further work was needed using magnetic resonance imaging to clarify the way mobile phones alter on the way the brain works.

Stough said further, as-yet-unpublished, research by his team suggested the impact of mobile phone radiation on the brain was cumulative.

"People, for instance, who use the mobile phone a lot seem to have more of an impairment than people who are more naive users," he said.

However, he stressed that the impact on brain function was small and the study did not find that mobile phones caused a health problem.

"We haven't established that there's negative health consequences -- that's a different type of study," he said.

"We're just showing that the radiation is actually active on the brain. But the impairment is small. The convenience and the way that we communicate now these days outweighs that effect."

[Nictoe]

Cancer study ordered into mobile phones

Philip Webster, Helen Rumbelow and Alice Miles
The Times January 20, 2007

Government expert warns of 'hint of a link'
200,000 join research into long-term users

::nobreak::A mass study of the long-term impact of mobile phones is to be undertaken amid fears that people who have used them for more than ten years are at greater risk from brain cancer.

More than 200,000 volunteers, including long-term users, are to be monitored for at least five years to plot mobile phone use against any serious diseases they develop, including cancer and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Professor Lawrie Challis, who is in the final stages of negotiation with the Department of Health and the mobile phone industry for the £3 million that he needs to fund the study, told The Times that research has shown that mobiles are very safe in the short term but that there is a “hint of something” for people using them longer.

In an interview, Professor Challis, a world expert on mobile phone radiation, and chairman of the government-funded mobile telecommunications health research programme, emphasised that the “hint” was just that. One European study has found a slight association and using a mobile for more than ten years. The few long-term users developed more acoustic neuroma brain tumours which were found close to the ear used for phoning.

But, because of the tiny numbers involved, “it could be by chance,” he said. Asked whether the mobile phone could turn out to be the cigarette of the 21st century in terms of the damage it could inflict, he replied: “Absolutely.”

He said that the study was necessary because all the important breakthroughs in what caused cancers had shown that the effects often took more than ten years to show. “You find absolutely nothing for ten years and then after that it starts to grow dramatically. It goes up ten times. You look at what happened after the atomic bombs at Nagasaki, Hiroshima. You find again a long delay, nothing for ten years. The same for asbestos.”

He made plain that he was not put off because many existing studies had shown no dangers. “The fact that you don’t see anything in ten years is also more or less what you would expect if there is something happening,” he said.

Announcing the new study, he said: “Because there is a hint and because the professional epidemiologists who I trust and who do this all the time feel there is a chance that this could be real, they can’t rule out the possibility. And because we all know that most cancers don’t show up for more than ten years, I think you have to carry on. It’s essential we carry on.

“Otherwise what are we going to do? If in ten or fifteen years’ time people start getting trouble it won’t show up until it’s a really big effect.”

The move was welcomed by the Conservatives. Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, said: “It’s not scare-mongering to ask these questions for future generations. At the moment there is little evidence to suggest that use of mobile phones has any impact on health, but it is vital that there is continuing research to establish if long-term use is a danger.”

Professor Challis is planning a separate study monitoring the impact of mobile phone use on children. He disagreed with the claim of some scientists that there was no cause to believe mobiles affected them differently from adults.

“We all know that if you’re exposed to sunlight as a kid you are much more likely to get skin cancer than if you’re exposed as an adult.”

He insisted that there was nothing irresponsibly alarmist about his message. Even if a risk were found, people would not have to stop using phones, but perhaps reduce their use.“I do it because I think it’s worthwhile,” he said.

A science of ifs, buts and maybes . . .

2006 Largest study yet, of 420,000 Danish users for up to 21 years, ruled out any large effect on any cancer after short or long-term use


It suggested there could be a very slightly raised risk of acoustic neuroma, a rare, benign cancer of the inner ear, among users of more than ten years

A raised risk on the side on which sufferers said they used their phones was balanced by a decreased risk on the other side — which led the scientists to suggest recall bias as the likely explanation. They said no firm conclusions could be drawn
2006 US study suggested lower sperm counts among heavy users. It is widely thought that this reflects another aspect of heavy users’ lifestyles, such as stress or a lack of exercise

2005 Interphone international study finds no effect on acoustic neuroma for ten years of use. It was unable, however, to rule out an effect for longer-term use, because of insufficient data

2004 Study suggests users have a higher risk of brain cancer if they live in rural areas. It has been suggested that this could reflect the higher strength of signal in areas with few base stations

2003 Swedish study suggests higher risk of acoustic neuroma among heavy users of analogue mobile phones, which have since been phased out. Scientists criticised the methodology of the research

2002 Finnish research suggests that phone emissions can cause abnormalities in blood vessel cells in the laboratory. Scientists that said it was not possible to draw conclusions for phone safety for real people

[Biscuit]

Its a plot by the Bush admin. to kill off people who did'nt vote for them
Looks like Eric will be living for a long time!!

[theLIBERTARIAN]

I wouldn't doubt there is a link. I was talking to a guy about 7 or 8 years ago that had brain cancer, and he swears it was due to his cell phone.

[Nictoe]

Drivers who don't turn off their mobile phones while fueling their cars risk being blown to pieces in a gas vapor explosion. Have a look at this:

[Biscuit]

Hehe!! Now that would have been funny to see. At least he could call 911 right away, right??

[Fringe]

[theLIBERTARIAN]

I seen video of fires being started accidently by static sparks when people put the fuel in their tanks, but not by cell phones. Strange.