Intensive Use of Cell Phones Ups Risk of Brain Cancer

A team of French scientists claims that excessive use of mobile phones ups the risk of brain cancer.

Most of us spend a big chunk of our lives glued to our cell phones. Being hooked to this modern technology can be a real problem as it takes a serious toll on one's health. Radiation from the mobile phones  can cause serious health hazards, according to research.

A latest study challenges previous studies that debunk the link between cell phone use and cancer claiming excessive use of cell phones elevates the risk of certain types of brain cancer.  Researchers say that cell phone addicts who have used their gadget for more than 15 hours each month for more than five years have a two-three fold higher risk of developing glioma and meningioma tumors.

The finding is based on the study reported in the British Journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

For the past 15 years several studies have looked at the association between the two factors but most often the results were inconclusive.

"Our study is part of that trend, but the results have to be confirmed," said  Isabelle Baldi, University of Bordeaux in southwestern France, according to  MedicalXpress.

In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had claimed that radiofrequency fields used by cells phones could be carcinogenic.

A 2011 National Institutes of Health study discovered that cell phone use could change brain activity, after  less than an hour of cell phone use, but long-term health risks and detrimental side-effects couldn't be determined, reports The Wire.

In this study the researchers looked at 253 registered cases of glioma and 194 cases of meningioma  between 2004-2006. The study also included a group of 892 controls or healthy subjects. 

The glioma and meningioma patients were compared with the group of controls to notice the differences. They observed that a higher risk was among those who used cell phones intensively, for example people associated with sales at work.   The duration of cell phone usage  among them ranged from 2-10 years averaging at five years.

"It is difficult to define a level of risk, if any, especially as mobile phone technology is constantly evolving," the authors conclude. "The rapid evolution of technology has led to a considerable increase in the use of mobile phones and a parallel decrease of [radiowave intensity] emitted by the phones. Studies taking account of these recent developments and allowing the observation of potential long-term effects will be needed."