The debate as to whether or not cell phones cause cancer has been running for many years now, and while no end is in sight any time soon, new evidence suggests another reason for caution. More specifically, in a recently published major U.S. government study on rats, researchers have found a link between cellphones and cancer.
The New Research
Performed by the National Toxicology Program (NTP), the study involved a multiyear, peer-review process—and with $25 million to conduct the research—it constitutes one of the most comprehensive and largest experiments regarding the health effects of cellphones to date. Conducted in an underground laboratory, the study included over 2,500 rats and mice, which were exposed to radio-frequency energy at various intervals over a two-year period. Through their analysis, the researchers identified “low incidences” of two different types of tumors among male rats that were exposed to the same type of radio frequencies that cellphones typically emit. The two types of tumors were gliomas, which can appear in the glial cells of the brain, and schwannomas of the heart. Unfortunately, further information is not forthcoming in the near future, as the details of the study will not be released until the fall of 2017.
The Opposing View
To be clear, the U.S. government’s official position on this matter is that the overall body of scientific evidence has not indicated any clear health risks from cellphones. From a global perspective, the World Health Organization stated in 2011 that cellphone radiation was a group 2B possible carcinogen, but such a label is not very informative when everyday foods such as coffee are also considered to be possible carcinogens. Moreover, and more to the point, numerous studies have been published in which researchers found no harmful health effects from cellphones. In summary, there is no consensus regarding the topic, and it is unclear if the new findings will have any input on the U.S. government’s cellphone safety recommendations and guidelines.
In regards to this particular NTP study, even though the complete results will not be released until 2017, many skeptics are already pointing out flaws and inconsistencies with the findings, and suggest that the data is unreliable. Among other concerns, these critics point to the fact that the study was conducted solely with rats, and is therefore not a good basis for human recommendations. Furthermore, the cancer association was only found to occur in male rats, with female rats not exhibiting the same outcome. In addition, many scientists believe that the frequency of the radio waves used in cellphones is of too low energy to possibly cause cancer, and likewise point to the fact that we have not witnessed an increase in brain cancer incidence in recent years. These criticisms raise valid points that demand to be addressed before any valuable conclusions can be reached.
What Should I Do?
While it remains very unlikely that a definitive conclusion will be reached in this debate in the near future, enough evidence exists to warrant taking a few precautions in using your cell phone. In order to mitigate your exposure and risk, consider adopting a few of these habits:
- Keep your cellphone at a safe distance while sleeping—there is simply no easier way to limit the amount of hours of exposure you have on a daily basis.
- Use your speakerphone feature when possible to limit the amount of time your phone is next to your head, and if talking in the traditional manner, keep the phone as far away from your head as possible.
- Avoid using your cellphone to surf the Internet whenever a computer or another device is available, particularly if it accesses the Internet via a hardline as opposed to wirelessly.
- Taking the previous point a step further, use a hardline instead of a wireless connection for your computer whenever possible.
- Limit the amount of time that pregnant women and children spend in proximity to cellphones, as fetuses and children may be particularly susceptible to cellphone emissions.
Regardless of where the research points over the coming years, implementing some of these simple, basic precautions can help to limit your exposure, without causing any major inconveniences.
Derek is a technical writer and editor with 10 years of experience in the health care field, having first earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware. He is a contributing author on a number of textbooks in the medical field, ran a nuclear cardiology licensing course, and has written a variety of other pieces from online training courses to medical software manuals. Derek pursues his personal interest in health and wellness by playing multiple sports and running marathons. An insatiable traveler, he spent 16 months working and living abroad while traveling through South America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
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