ARPANSA - Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

By: Myung SK et al
Published in: J Clin Oncol. 2009 Oct 13. [Epub ahead of print]

A meta-analysis of 23 case-control studies investigating mobile phone use and tumour risk. For overall use the odds ratio was 0.98 for malignant and benign tumours (95% CI, 0.89 to 1.07) in a random-effects meta-analysis. However, a significant positive association was observed in a random-effects meta-analysis of eight studies that used some blinding, whereas a significant negative association was observed in a fixed-effects meta-analysis of 15 studies not using blinding. For mobile phone use greater than 10 years or more the odds ratio was 1.18 (95% CI, 1.04 to 1.34). The authors conclude that there is possible evidence linking mobile phone use to an increased risk of tumours and recommend that prospective cohort studies providing a higher level of evidence are needed.

PUBMED LINK

There have been five other major meta-analyses of brain tumour studies.

• Lahkola et al (2006) – PubMed Link
• Hardell et al (2007) – PubMed Link
• Hardell et al (2008) - PubMed Link
• Kan et al (2008) – PubMed Link
• Hardell et al (2009) – PubMed Link

Lahkola et al (2006) combined results from 11 case-control and 1 cohort study to show no overall association; although there was no latency analysis. Hardell et al (2007, 2008) in a meta-analysis of 2 cohort and 16 case-control studies reported no overall association but there was a twofold increased risk of acoustic neuroma and glioma for more than 10 year phone use on the same side of the head (ipsilateral). Kan et al (2008) combined 9 case-control studies to show only a marginal increased risk for greater than 10 year use. Finally, in a more recent meta-analysis, Hardell et al (2009) included 11 case-control studies to again show increased risks of glioma and acoustic neuroma with ipsilateral phone use of more than 10 years.

An Australian review of the epidemiological literature on mobile phones and brain tumours (Croft et al, 2009, PubMed Link) noted that the issue of heterogeneity and varying methodologies between different studies makes results from meta-analyses difficult to interpret (the Croft et al review was presented in the February 2009 literature update available at _http://www.arpansa.gov.au/RadiationProtection/EMR/literature/february09.cfm). The review concluded that although there have been individual reports of associations between mobile phone use and tumours, this research is not consistent and, on balance, does not provide evidence of an association. There are reports of small associations between mobile phone use ipsilateral to the tumour for greater than 10 years, for both acoustic neuroma and glioma, but the authors argue that these results are especially prone to recall bias.

The issue of heterogeneity will be addressed by the upcoming pooled analysis of the INTERPHONE studies since they all used a similar methodology. Further information on the INTERPHONE project is available from the IARC website at http://www.iarc.fr/en/research-groups/RAD/RCAd.html. An update on the INTERPHONE studies that have been published to date is available at: _http://www.iarc.fr/en/research-groups/RAD/Interphone8oct08.pdf

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By: Tomitsch J
Published in: Bioelectromagnetics. 2009 Sep 24. [Epub ahead of print]

Residential survey of extremely low frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields and radiofrequency (RF) fields in 226 households throughout Lower Austria. All measurements were well below the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guideline levels. Highest ELF electric fields were primarily due to lamps beside the bed (max = 166 V/m), and highest ELF magnetic fields because of transformers in devices (max = 1,030 nT) or high current power lines (max = 380 nT). The highest values of RF fields were caused by DECT telephone base stations (max = 28,979 microW/m²) and mobile phone base stations (max = 4,872 microW/m²).

PUBMED LINK

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By: Arendash et al.
Published in: J Alzheimers Dis. 2009 Sep 11. [Epub ahead of print]

This paper presents the first evidence that long-term exposure to EMF associated with mobile phone use provides cognitive benefits. Several inter-related mechanisms of EMF action are proposed, including increased amyloid-beta clearance from the brains of Alzheimer's disease mice, increased neuronal activity, and increased cerebral blood flow. The authors note that caution should be taken in extrapolating these mouse studies to humans, and conclude that EMF exposure may represent a non-invasive, non-pharmacologic therapeutic against Alzheimer's disease and an effective memory-enhancing approach in general.

PUBMED LINK

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By: French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (AFSSET)
Published in: AFSSET website

Report by the French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (AFSSET) reviewing more than 1,000 studies on devices emitting radiofrequency (RF) radiation, such as mobile phones, WiFi, microwave ovens, cordless phones etc. Most of the studies did not show any negative impacts. Some research, however, did point to possible health problems, including cell damage, reduced male fertility and a lower blood flow to the brain. The AFSSET report concludes that given the uncertainty, further research was needed to determine potential health impacts and advises the public to exercise caution in the meantime.

The press release and the report are available (in French) at http://www.afsset.fr/index_2009.php

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By: Health Protection Agency (HPA)
Published in: HPA website

Report on the measurement and computational dosimetry study by the UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) on the assessment of exposure to electromagnetic fields from wireless computer networks (Wi-Fi) in schools in the UK.

The report is available at http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1254510618866

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