World Health Organization: Cell Phone Not Cause Brain Cancer
Cancer June 16th, 2010
Jakarta – Research about the alleged mobile could trigger brain cancer continues to be done. This time the World Health Organization (WHO) also conducted research for 10 years, which showed no increased risk of cancer in cellphone users.
Reuters, Monday (05/17/2010), WHO is conducting research body is the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). About 13,000 mobile phone users from 13 countries involved, including the 2708 users who experience tumor glioma cases and 2409 cases of meningioma tumors.
Average cell phone usage on the participants is about 100 hours, with an average monthly usage between 2 to 2.5 hours. Participants included the most severe category of using mobile phones during 1640 hours in 10 years, equivalent to 1.5 hours a day.
Observations during 10 years showed no significant increased risk for both types of these tumors. Although it does not increase, higher risk was found in participants’ most severe category.
Participants in that category have a 40 percent higher risk for glioma tumors, and 15 percent higher for meningioma tumors. But researchers could not conclude the causality of the observations.
“Indeed there is no increased risk, but can not be concluded that there was no effect at all,” said Elisabeth Cardis who led the research.
For that Cardis suggest the existence of further research, especially among the young. According to Cardis, the EU is now funding similar research among children and adolescents.
This research also notes that the latest phones have a relatively lower emissions. In addition, the growing popularity of SMS technology and a handsfree device (hands free) has much lower levels of radiation to the head.
The research cost 19.2 million euros. From these figures, the telecommunications industry contributed around 5.5 million euros.
