Last May, the World Health Organization classified cell phones as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” based on the results of a number of health studies. Many experts recommended using text messages and hands-free systems just to be safe.
Now the British Medical Journal has published the results of a new Danish study that followed 358,403 cell phone subscribers over 17 years, reports the Daily Mail.
From 1990 to 2007, researchers reviewed data for the whole Danish population over the age of 30 and born in Denmark after 1925 by gathering cell phone subscriber information and from the Danish Cancer Register.
After studying data, scientists noted 10,729 cases of central nervous system tumors, and that the risk of such tumors was similar for cell phone subscribers and non-subscribers.
There was no indication of dose-response relation either by years of cell phone usage or by the anatomical location of the tumor – that is, regions of the brain closest to where the handset is usually held to the head.
Researchers found little evidence for a causal association, and were unable to establish a link between cell phone use and increased risk of brain cancer.
However, the authors noted that “a small to moderate increase in risk for subgroups of heavy users or after even longer induction periods than 10 to 15 years cannot be ruled out,” and recommended further studies.
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