Using a mobile phone does not increase the risk of brain cancer, claim scientists.
Research into cancer rates of one of the largest groups of mobile phone users ever studied found no difference compared with people who did not use them.
It is the second major study this year to rule out any change in rates of the disease - despite more than 70 million mobile phones being used in the UK.
They studied the whole Danish population aged over 30 and born in Denmark after 1925 by gathering information on subscribers to mobile phones from the Danish phone network operators and from the Danish Cancer Register.
They analysed data of 10,729 central nervous system tumours between 1990 and 2007, says a report in bmj.com (the online site of the British Medical Journal).
When the figures were restricted to people with the longest use of mobile phones – 13 years or more – the cancer rates were almost the same as that among non-subscribers.
There have been fears that cancer could be triggered by the brain's exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted from mobile handsets held to the ear
The researchers said they observed no overall increased risk for tumours of the central nervous system or for all cancers combined in mobile phone users.
There have been fears that cancer could be triggered by the brain's exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted from mobile handsets held to the ear.
But the researchers said they observed no overall increased risk for tumours of the central nervous system or for all cancers combined in mobile phone users.
The authors said: 'The extended follow-up allowed us to investigate effects in people who had used mobile phones for 10 years or more, and this long-term use was not associated with higher risks of cancer.
'However, as a small to moderate increase in risk for subgroups of heavy users or after even longer induction periods than 10-15 years cannot be ruled out, further studies with large study populations, where the potential for misclassification of exposure and selection bias is minimised, are warranted.'
Mobile phone mast: Researchers said they observed no overall increased risk for tumours of the central nervous system or for all cancers combined in mobile phone users
Professor Malcolm Sperrin, Director of Medical Physics at Royal Berkshire Hospital, and Fellow of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, said: 'This study is very large in terms of the number of people involved, is large in terms of the number of usage of the phones and also has a random nature being based on the purchase of a telephone contract rather than being a sub-group.
'The findings clearly reveal that there is no additional overall risk of developing a cancer in the brain although there does seem to be some minor, and not statistically significant, variations in the type of cancer.
'This paper supports most other reports which do not find any detrimental effects of phone use under normal exposures.'
Earlier this year Manchester University researchers found no statistically significant change in rates of newly diagnosed brain cancers in England between 1998 and 2007, saying it was unlikely 'we are on the forefront of a brain cancer epidemic'.
But other scientists disagree, saying the Danish study excluded business users and included as non-users people who began using mobiles later on.
Denis Henshaw, Emeritus Professor of Human Radiation Effects, Bristol University said the study was 'worthless', and the researchers themselves admitted non-users may have been misclassified which would bias the findings.
He said: 'This seriously flawed study misleads the public and decision makers about the safety of mobile phone use.'
Vicky Fobel, director of MobileWise, a charity advising on mobile phone and health, said: 'All this shows that this study and the press release promoting its findings are misleading the public by implying that phone users have the all clear.
'The study only looked at short-term use of mobile phones and by mis-analysing the data has massively underestimated the risks. All the other studies that have looked at the long-term risks have found a link between phone use and brain tumours.
'This study gives false reassurance and distracts us from the important job of helping the public, especially children, to cut the risk from mobiles.'
Artikel dari dmall with thanks :written by :JennyHope:
Research into cancer rates of one of the largest groups of mobile phone users ever studied found no difference compared with people who did not use them.
It is the second major study this year to rule out any change in rates of the disease - despite more than 70 million mobile phones being used in the UK.
They studied the whole Danish population aged over 30 and born in Denmark after 1925 by gathering information on subscribers to mobile phones from the Danish phone network operators and from the Danish Cancer Register.
They analysed data of 10,729 central nervous system tumours between 1990 and 2007, says a report in bmj.com (the online site of the British Medical Journal).
When the figures were restricted to people with the longest use of mobile phones – 13 years or more – the cancer rates were almost the same as that among non-subscribers.
There have been fears that cancer could be triggered by the brain's exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted from mobile handsets held to the ear
The researchers said they observed no overall increased risk for tumours of the central nervous system or for all cancers combined in mobile phone users.
There have been fears that cancer could be triggered by the brain's exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted from mobile handsets held to the ear.
But the researchers said they observed no overall increased risk for tumours of the central nervous system or for all cancers combined in mobile phone users.
The authors said: 'The extended follow-up allowed us to investigate effects in people who had used mobile phones for 10 years or more, and this long-term use was not associated with higher risks of cancer.
'However, as a small to moderate increase in risk for subgroups of heavy users or after even longer induction periods than 10-15 years cannot be ruled out, further studies with large study populations, where the potential for misclassification of exposure and selection bias is minimised, are warranted.'
Mobile phone mast: Researchers said they observed no overall increased risk for tumours of the central nervous system or for all cancers combined in mobile phone users
Professor Malcolm Sperrin, Director of Medical Physics at Royal Berkshire Hospital, and Fellow of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, said: 'This study is very large in terms of the number of people involved, is large in terms of the number of usage of the phones and also has a random nature being based on the purchase of a telephone contract rather than being a sub-group.
'The findings clearly reveal that there is no additional overall risk of developing a cancer in the brain although there does seem to be some minor, and not statistically significant, variations in the type of cancer.
'This paper supports most other reports which do not find any detrimental effects of phone use under normal exposures.'
Earlier this year Manchester University researchers found no statistically significant change in rates of newly diagnosed brain cancers in England between 1998 and 2007, saying it was unlikely 'we are on the forefront of a brain cancer epidemic'.
But other scientists disagree, saying the Danish study excluded business users and included as non-users people who began using mobiles later on.
Denis Henshaw, Emeritus Professor of Human Radiation Effects, Bristol University said the study was 'worthless', and the researchers themselves admitted non-users may have been misclassified which would bias the findings.
He said: 'This seriously flawed study misleads the public and decision makers about the safety of mobile phone use.'
Vicky Fobel, director of MobileWise, a charity advising on mobile phone and health, said: 'All this shows that this study and the press release promoting its findings are misleading the public by implying that phone users have the all clear.
'The study only looked at short-term use of mobile phones and by mis-analysing the data has massively underestimated the risks. All the other studies that have looked at the long-term risks have found a link between phone use and brain tumours.
'This study gives false reassurance and distracts us from the important job of helping the public, especially children, to cut the risk from mobiles.'
Artikel dari dmall with thanks :written by :JennyHope:
