Report on 59% Increased Risk of Developing Brain Tumors from Mobile Phone Use

59% increased risk of developing brain tumors

This report summarizes the key findings from the study titled “Relationship between Radiofrequency-Electromagnetic Radiation from Cellular Phones and Brain Tumor: Meta-Analyses Using Various Proxies for RF-EMR Exposure-Outcome Assessment”, published in 2024. The study offers a comprehensive meta-analysis of 19 case-control studies and 5 cohort studies investigating the connection between mobile phone usage and the incidence of brain tumors.

Key Findings

1. Increased Risk for Brain Tumors:
   • The study found a 59% increased risk of developing brain tumors for individuals using mobile phones for over 896 cumulative hours. This association was found to be statistically significant.
   • Gliomas (a type of brain tumor) showed a 66% increased risk, while acoustic neuromas showed an 84% increased risk, although the latter was not statistically significant.
2. Ipsilateral and Long-Term Use Risks:
   • Users who held their phones on the same side of the head (ipsilateral use) reported a 40% higher odds ratio (OR) of developing brain tumors compared to non-users.
   • For individuals using mobile phones for over 10 years, the risk for gliomas increased by 32%, with an OR of 1.32, suggesting a link between long-term exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) and brain cancer development.
3. Significant Tumor Types:
   • Specific types of brain tumors were notably more prevalent among mobile phone users:
     • Glioma: OR of 1.45 (ipsilateral use) and 1.32 (over 10 years of use).
     • Meningioma: OR of 1.20 (ipsilateral use) and 1.08 (over 10 years).
     • Malignant brain tumors: OR of 1.93 for ipsilateral use.
4. Meta-Analysis Consistency:
   • Across multiple studies, the more concrete the exposure subcategories (e.g., hours of use, years of use, or ipsilateral use), the more significant the findings. Regular users and those with low exposure had statistically inconclusive results, but higher exposure categories showed a clear association with brain tumors.

Study Limitations

1. Short Observation Period: The study noted that the latency period for brain tumors could be longer than what current studies account for, leading to possible underestimation of risks.
2. Influence of Technology: The study highlighted the difficulty in accounting for rapidly advancing mobile phone technology (e.g., Bluetooth, 5G) and changing usage patterns, which complicates exposure assessment.
3. Cohort Studies: While the case-control studies showed significant findings, the cohort studies were statistically inconclusive. However, this was largely attributed to the small number of included cohort studies.

Conclusion and Implications

This meta-analysis reinforces the growing body of evidence pointing to the non-thermal biological effects of RF radiation from mobile phones. The increased risk for brain tumors, particularly gliomas and meningiomas, among individuals with prolonged and high mobile phone use should not be ignored. This research contributes to the mounting call for updating safety guidelines, which have remained largely unchanged since 1996, despite significant advancements in mobile technology and evidence of non-thermal risks.

In particular, the Biden-Harris administration’s decision to halt the National Toxicology Program’s (NTP) wireless radiation research, despite court rulings urging updated safety guidelines, presents a significant public health concern. As RFK Jr.’s successful lawsuit against the FCC demonstrated, the need to update safety standards is pressing, and regulatory bodies must adhere to scientific findings that account for modern exposure levels.

This research adds weight to the argument that we can no longer ignore the potential health risks posed by widespread mobile phone use. The public deserves safety guidelines based on the most current scientific evidence, not outdated frameworks that fail to reflect modern realities.