2008-05-20 23:34:21 - Brain cancer and oral cancer may stem directly from cell phone use. Here are the medical facts.

It sounds like an urban myth, but data is piling up to support the notion that heavy use of cell phones causes cancer.

Brain cancer. Oral cancer. Scary stuff!

Worldwide, some 3.3 billion cell phones (or mobile or wireless phones, as they are sometimes called) were in use in 2007 - enough for about half the world's people. Ninety percent of the
global population should have cellular coverage by 2010. That's a lot of exposure to a potentially dangerous technology.

What's the case for cell phone cancer?

The U.S. government's National Cancer Institute tells us that cell phones emit radiation (radiofrequency or RFenergy), 'which is under investigation for its effects on the human body.' A person's exposure level depends on such things as the number and length of calls, amount of cell traffic at the time of a call, distance to the nearest cell tower, and size of the handset.

The phone's antenna, which is usually hidden inside the unit, is the main source of radiation. Move the antenna away from your body and you reduce radiation exposure. That's why many health experts say you're safer using a hands-free set, with the phone well away from your ear.

Hold the phone to your head and you're radiating your ear, brain, mouth and neck.

It's not surprising that medical experts have focused their cell phone cancer research on head and neck cancers.

Take oral cancer.

This year, Dr. Siegal Sadetzki, a cancer specialist at Tel Aviv University, found that people who use a cell phone for hours a day are 50% more likely to develop oral cancer than those who don't use such phones at all. This study is significant because it was conducted on Israelis, who were among the first to widely adopt mobile phone technology and are among its heaviest users. The data also suggests that cell phone users who live in rural areas may be at higher risk because handsets need to emit more radiation to communicate with distant antennas.

Brain cancer may also result from cell phone use.

Back in 2002, Dariusz Leszczynski at Helsinki's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority reported that one hour of exposure to mobile phone radiation caused cultured human cells to shrink. He said that reaction, which normally only happens when a cell is damaged, could allow harmful substances to enter the brain from the bloodstream. The research was especially important, he said, because it showed that mobile phone radiation can affect cells without heating them.

Three European studies in 2006 found an increased risk of glioma (often-deadly brain tumors, like the one diagnosed in Senator Ted Kennedy) in people who used cell phones for 10 years or more. Two of the studies reported a correlation between tumor location and the side of the head where people held their phones. The other study suggested a higher risk in people who began using the phones before age 20. All three studies were sanctioned by the World Health Organization, giving them added weight.

Earlier this year, distinguished neurologist and cancer expert Dr. Vini Khurana reported that long-term (10-year) cell phone use can double the risk of brain cancer. France and Germany have officially warned their citizens of the dangers of cell phones, with a special caution for children. The U.S. National Cancer Institute says that since children's brains are still developing, 'If RF energy from cellular telephones is proven to cause cancer, researchers would expect children to be more susceptible than adults.'

Noting that a malignant brain tumor represents "a life-ending diagnosis", Dr. Khurana says, "We are currently experiencing a reactively unchecked and dangerous situation." (The doctor is an American-trained specialist now based at The Australian National University Medical School.)

The public health community's bottom line on cell phone safety: More research is needed.

The world's biggest manufacturer of cell phones is Nokia. Other major suppliers include Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and LG. Add to those dozens of other players, including Apple, UTSarcom, Benefon, BenQ-Siemens, CECT, HTC, Fujitsu, Kyocera, Mitsubishi Electric, RIM, Sagem, Sanyo, Sharp, Siemens and more.

Helpful links related to cell phones and cancer can be found at http://www.cellphonecancer411.com/. More information is available directly from the National Cancer Institute and from professional medical organizations. To make sure you aren't developing oral cancer, ask your dentist for a fast and perfectly pain-free ViziLite Plus 'glow-stick' exam.