Cellphone/brain cancer debate

You've likely heard some news about two of the latest studies that say cellphone users are no more likely than anyone else to develop benign tumors or malignant brain cancers.

The first study, supported by the National Cancer Institute, was released on Dec. 19, over three weeks ahead of its scheduled publication in the New England Journal of Medicine. The second study, sponsored by the cellphone industry and the federal government, appeared in the Dec. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

According to the first study, "there was no evidence that the risks were higher among persons who used cellular telephones for 60 or more minutes per day or regularly for five or more years. Tumors did not occur disproportionately often on the side of head on which the telephone was typically used." The second study said, "use of handheld cellular telephones is not associated with risk of brain cancer."

Both of these studies add more evidence to the argument that there is no danger to people who use the phones. Of course, there is never a 100% chance that this isn't the case. Science is quirky in this way.

And there are caveats: The first study said the data wasn't "sufficient to evaluate the risks among long-term, heavy users and for potentially long induction periods." The second study stated that "further studies are needed to account for longer induction periods, especially for slow-growing tumors with neuronal features."

My opinion? Life has risks. If you're concerned about the possibility, however remote, that these devices are dangerous, then don't use them. If you have to use a cellphone, use a hands-free microphone and put the phone as far away from you as possible. Buy a digital phone - they produce less radiation than the analog ones. Talk less. With anything in life, moderation is usually the best course to follow.

What's your opinion on this issue? Does the release of these studies help to sway your opinion in one way or the other? Let me know at kshaw@nww.com (don't reply to this e-mail).

Keith Shaw is Reviews Editor at Network World. In addition, he writes the "Cool Tools" column, which looks at gizmos, gadgets and other mobile computing devices.

You can reach Keith at kshaw@nww.com.

Mobile archive
Past newsletters.

New England Journal of Medicine report

Journal of American Medical Association report

Cell phones and cancer: No clear connection
FDA article on the issue

Cell phones and cancer: What is the evidence for the connection
Radiation Research Society, 01/98(a PDF file that requires Adobe Acrobat reader)

Wireless questions: Could cellphone radiation harm your child's brain
ABC News, 11/23/00

Wireless worries: Are cellphones a danger to you and your children?
ABC News, 05/24/00

National Cancer Institute
Web site