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Cellular
and cordless telephones and the risk for brain tumours
L
Hardell1;
A Hallquist2;
K Hansson Mild3;
M Carlberg1;
A Påhlson4;
A Lilja5
1Department of Oncology, University Hospital, S-701 85 Örebro and
Department of Natural Sciences, Örebro University, S-701 82 Örebro, Sweden. 2Department
of Oncology/Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Radiumhemmet, S-171 76 Stockholm,
Sweden. 3National
Institute for Working Life, S-907 13 Umeå
and Department of Natural Sciences, Örebro University, S-701 82 Örebro, Sweden.
4Department
of Neurology, University Hospital, S-701 85 Örebro, Sweden. 5Department
of Neuroradiology, Karolinska Institute, S-112 35 Stockholm, Sweden
Microwave
exposure from the use of cellular telephones has been discussed in recent years
as a potential risk factor for brain tumours.
We included in a case-control study 1617 patients aged 20-80 years of both sexes
with brain tumour diagnosed between 1 January 1997 and 30 June 2000.
They were alive at the study time and had histopathologically verified brain
tumour.
One matched control to each case was selected from the Swedish Population
Register.
The study area was the Uppsala-Örebro, Stockholm, Linköping and Göteborg
medical regions of Sweden.
Exposure was assessed by a questionnaire that was answered by 1429 (88%) cases
and 1470 (91%) controls.
In total, use of analogue cellular telephones gave an increased risk with an
odds ratio (OR) of 1.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.6).
With a tumour induction period of >10 years the risk increased further: OR
1.8 (95% CI 1.1-2.9).
No clear association was found for digital or cordless telephones.
With regard to the anatomical area of the tumour and exposure to microwaves, the
risk was increased for tumours located in the temporal area on the same side of
the brain that was used during phone calls; for analogue cellular telephones the
OR was 2.5 (95% CI 1.3-4.9).
Use of a telephone on the opposite side of the brain was not associated with an
increased risk for brain tumours.
With regard to different tumour types, the highest risk was for acoustic
neurinoma (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.8-6.8) among analogue cellular telephone users.
Key
words: Benign; brain tumours; cordless telephones; malignant; mobile telephones;
temporal area
Copyright © 2002 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
All
rights reserved
Source:
http://www.eurjcancerprev.com/
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