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Martin C, Evrard B, Percevault F, Ryder K, Darde T, Lardenois A, Zhadobov M, Sauleau R, Chalmel F, Le Dréan Y, Habauzit D. Transcriptional landscape of human keratinocyte models exposed to 60-GHz millimeter-waves. Toxicol In Vitro 2024; 97:105808. [PMID: 38484921 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2024.105808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The use of millimeter waves (MMW) will exponentially grow in the coming years due to their future utilization in 5G/6G networks. The question of possible biological effects at these frequencies has been raised. In this present study, we aimed to investigate gene expression changes under exposure to MMW using the Bulk RNA Barcoding and sequencing (BRB-seq) technology. To address this issue, three exposure scenarios were performed aiming at: i) comparing the cellular response of two primary culture of keratinocytes (HEK and NHEK) and one keratinocyte derivate cell line (HaCaT) exposed to MMW; ii) exploring the incident power density dose-effect on gene expression in HaCaT cell line; and, iii) studying the exposure duration at the new ICNIRP exposure limit for the general population. With the exception of heat effect induced by high power MMW (over 10 mW/cm2), those exposure scenarios have not enabled us to demonstrate important gene expression changes in the different cell populations studied. Very few differentially genes were observed between MMW exposed samples and heat shock control, and most of them were significantly associated with heat shock response that may reflect small differences in the heat generation. Together these results show that acute exposure to MMW has no effects on the transcriptional landscape of human keratinocyte models under athermal conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Martin
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Bertrand Evrard
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Frédéric Percevault
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Kate Ryder
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Thomas Darde
- SciLicium, 10 rue de la Sauvaie, 35200 Rennes, France
| | - Aurélie Lardenois
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Maxim Zhadobov
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IETR (Institut d'Électronique et des Technologies du Numérique), UMR 6164, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Ronan Sauleau
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IETR (Institut d'Électronique et des Technologies du Numérique), UMR 6164, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Frédéric Chalmel
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Yves Le Dréan
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Denis Habauzit
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France; ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety), Toxicology of Contaminants Unit, Fougères, France.
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Feychting M, Schüz J, Toledano MB, Vermeulen R, Auvinen A, Harbo Poulsen A, Deltour I, Smith RB, Heller J, Kromhout H, Huss A, Johansen C, Tettamanti G, Elliott P. Mobile phone use and brain tumour risk - COSMOS, a prospective cohort study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 185:108552. [PMID: 38458118 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Each new generation of mobile phone technology has triggered discussions about potential carcinogenicity from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). Available evidence has been insufficient to conclude about long-term and heavy mobile phone use, limited by differential recall and selection bias, or crude exposure assessment. The Cohort Study on Mobile Phones and Health (COSMOS) was specifically designed to overcome these shortcomings. METHODS We recruited participants in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK 2007-2012. The baseline questionnaire assessed lifetime history of mobile phone use. Participants were followed through population-based cancer registers to identify glioma, meningioma, and acoustic neuroma cases during follow-up. Non-differential exposure misclassification was reduced by adjusting estimates of mobile phone call-time through regression calibration methods based on self-reported data and objective operator-recorded information at baseline. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for glioma, meningioma, and acoustic neuroma in relation to lifetime history of mobile phone use were estimated with Cox regression models with attained age as the underlying time-scale, adjusted for country, sex, educational level, and marital status. RESULTS 264,574 participants accrued 1,836,479 person-years. During a median follow-up of 7.12 years, 149 glioma, 89 meningioma, and 29 incident cases of acoustic neuroma were diagnosed. The adjusted HR per 100 regression-calibrated cumulative hours of mobile phone call-time was 1.00 (95 % CI 0.98-1.02) for glioma, 1.01 (95 % CI 0.96-1.06) for meningioma, and 1.02 (95 % CI 0.99-1.06) for acoustic neuroma. For glioma, the HR for ≥ 1908 regression-calibrated cumulative hours (90th percentile cut-point) was 1.07 (95 % CI 0.62-1.86). Over 15 years of mobile phone use was not associated with an increased tumour risk; for glioma the HR was 0.97 (95 % CI 0.62-1.52). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the cumulative amount of mobile phone use is not associated with the risk of developing glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Feychting
- Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Joachim Schüz
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, Lyon, France
| | - Mireille B Toledano
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Chemical and Radiation Threats and Hazards, Imperial College London, London, UK; Mohn Centre for Children's Health and Wellbeing, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Roel Vermeulen
- Utrecht University, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht, the Netherlands; University Medical Center Utrecht, Julius Center, the Netherlands
| | - Anssi Auvinen
- STUK - Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Environmental Surveillance, Vantaa, Finland; Tampere University, Faculty of Social Sciences/Health Sciences, Tampere, Finland
| | | | - Isabelle Deltour
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, Lyon, France
| | - Rachel B Smith
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Chemical and Radiation Threats and Hazards, Imperial College London, London, UK; Mohn Centre for Children's Health and Wellbeing, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Joel Heller
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Utrecht University, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Anke Huss
- Utrecht University, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Christoffer Johansen
- CASTLE Cancer Late Effect Research Oncology Clinic, Center for Surgery and Cancer, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Giorgio Tettamanti
- Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paul Elliott
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Chemical and Radiation Threats and Hazards, Imperial College London, London, UK; NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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Nordhagen EK, Flydal E. Self-referencing authorships behind the ICNIRP 2020 radiation protection guidelines. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2023; 38:531-546. [PMID: 35751553 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2022-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In March 2020, ICNIRP (the International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) published a set of guidelines for limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz). ICNIRP claims this publication's view on EMF and health, a view usually termed "the thermal-only paradigm", is consistent with current scientific understanding. We investigated the literature referenced in ICNIRP 2020 to assess if the variation in authors and research groups behind it meets the fundamental requirement of constituting a broad scientific base and thus a view consistent with current scientific understanding, a requirement that such an important set of guidelines is expected to satisfy. To assess if this requirement has been met, we investigated the span of authors and research groups of the referenced literature of the ICNIRP 2020 Guidelines and annexes. Our analysis shows that ICNIRP 2020 itself, and in practice all its referenced supporting literature stem from a network of co-authors with just 17 researchers at its core, most of them affiliated with ICNIRP and/or the IEEE, and some of them being ICNIRP 2020 authors themselves. Moreover, literature reviews presented by ICNIRP 2020 as being from independent committees, are in fact products of this same informal network of collaborating authors, all committees having ICNIRP 2020 authors as members. This shows that the ICNIRP 2020 Guidelines fail to meet fundamental scientific quality requirements and are therefore not suited as the basis on which to set RF EMF exposure limits for the protection of human health. With its thermal-only view, ICNIRP contrasts with the majority of research findings, and would therefore need a particularly solid scientific foundation. Our analysis demonstrates the contrary to be the case. Hence, the ICNIRP 2020 Guidelines cannot offer a basis for good governance.
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Héroux P, Belyaev I, Chamberlin K, Dasdag S, De Salles AAA, Rodriguez CEF, Hardell L, Kelley E, Kesari KK, Mallery-Blythe E, Melnick RL, Miller AB, Moskowitz JM. Cell Phone Radiation Exposure Limits and Engineering Solutions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:5398. [PMID: 37048013 PMCID: PMC10094704 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20075398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
In the 1990s, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) restricted its risk assessment for human exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) in seven ways: (1) Inappropriate focus on heat, ignoring sub-thermal effects. (2) Reliance on exposure experiments performed over very short times. (3) Overlooking time/amplitude characteristics of RFR signals. (4) Ignoring carcinogenicity, hypersensitivity, and other health conditions connected with RFR. (5) Measuring cellphone Specific Absorption Rates (SAR) at arbitrary distances from the head. (6) Averaging SAR doses at volumetric/mass scales irrelevant to health. (7) Using unrealistic simulations for cell phone SAR estimations. Low-cost software and hardware modifications are proposed here for cellular phone RFR exposure mitigation: (1) inhibiting RFR emissions in contact with the body, (2) use of antenna patterns reducing the Percent of Power absorbed in the Head (PPHead) and body and increasing the Percent of Power Radiated for communications (PPR), and (3) automated protocol-based reductions of the number of RFR emissions, their duration, or integrated dose. These inexpensive measures do not fundamentally alter cell phone functions or communications quality. A health threat is scientifically documented at many levels and acknowledged by industries. Yet mitigation of RFR exposures to users does not appear as a priority with most cell phone manufacturers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Héroux
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Igor Belyaev
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 814 38 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Kent Chamberlin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Suleyman Dasdag
- Biophysics Department, Medical School, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul 34700, Turkey
| | - Alvaro Augusto Almeida De Salles
- Graduate Program on Electrical Engineering (PPGEE), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 90010-150, Brazil
| | | | - Lennart Hardell
- Department of Oncology, Orebro University Hospital, 701 85 Orebro, Sweden (Retired)
- The Environment and Cancer Research Foundation, 702 17 Orebro, Sweden
| | - Elizabeth Kelley
- ICBE-EMF and International EMF Scientist Appeal, and Electromagnetic Safety Alliance, Tempe, AZ 85282, USA
| | - Kavindra Kumar Kesari
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Erica Mallery-Blythe
- Physicians’ Health Initiative for Radiation and Environment, East Sussex TN6, UK
- British Society of Ecological Medicine, London W1W 6DB, UK
- Oceania Radiofrequency Scientific Advisory Association, Scarborough, QLD 4020, Australia
| | - Ronald L. Melnick
- National Toxicology Program (Retired), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC 27709, USA
- Ron Melnick Consulting LLC, North Logan, UT 84341, USA
| | - Anthony B. Miller
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada
| | - Joel M. Moskowitz
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
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Scientific evidence invalidates health assumptions underlying the FCC and ICNIRP exposure limit determinations for radiofrequency radiation: implications for 5G. Environ Health 2022; 21:92. [PMID: 36253855 PMCID: PMC9576312 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00900-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In the late-1990s, the FCC and ICNIRP adopted radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure limits to protect the public and workers from adverse effects of RFR. These limits were based on results from behavioral studies conducted in the 1980s involving 40-60-minute exposures in 5 monkeys and 8 rats, and then applying arbitrary safety factors to an apparent threshold specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4 W/kg. The limits were also based on two major assumptions: any biological effects were due to excessive tissue heating and no effects would occur below the putative threshold SAR, as well as twelve assumptions that were not specified by either the FCC or ICNIRP. In this paper, we show how the past 25 years of extensive research on RFR demonstrates that the assumptions underlying the FCC's and ICNIRP's exposure limits are invalid and continue to present a public health harm. Adverse effects observed at exposures below the assumed threshold SAR include non-thermal induction of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, cardiomyopathy, carcinogenicity, sperm damage, and neurological effects, including electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Also, multiple human studies have found statistically significant associations between RFR exposure and increased brain and thyroid cancer risk. Yet, in 2020, and in light of the body of evidence reviewed in this article, the FCC and ICNIRP reaffirmed the same limits that were established in the 1990s. Consequently, these exposure limits, which are based on false suppositions, do not adequately protect workers, children, hypersensitive individuals, and the general population from short-term or long-term RFR exposures. Thus, urgently needed are health protective exposure limits for humans and the environment. These limits must be based on scientific evidence rather than on erroneous assumptions, especially given the increasing worldwide exposures of people and the environment to RFR, including novel forms of radiation from 5G telecommunications for which there are no adequate health effects studies.
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Schüz J, Pirie K, Reeves GK, Floud S, Beral V. Cellular Telephone Use and the Risk of Brain Tumors: Update of the UK Million Women Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 2022; 114:704-711. [PMID: 35350069 PMCID: PMC9086806 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djac042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ongoing debate of whether use of cellular telephones increases the risk of developing a brain tumor was recently fueled by the launch of the fifth generation of wireless technologies. Here, we update follow-up of a large-scale prospective study on the association between cellular telephone use and brain tumors. METHODS During 1996-2001, 1.3 million women born in 1935-1950 were recruited into the study. Questions on cellular telephone use were first asked in median year 2001 and again in median year 2011. All study participants were followed via record linkage to National Health Services databases on deaths and cancer registrations (including nonmalignant brain tumors). RESULTS During 14 years follow-up of 776 156 women who completed the 2001 questionnaire, a total of 3268 incident brain tumors were registered. Adjusted relative risks for ever vs never cellular telephone use were 0.97 (95% confidence interval = 0.90 to 1.04) for all brain tumors, 0.89 (95% confidence interval = 0.80 to 0.99) for glioma, and not statistically significantly different to 1.0 for meningioma, pituitary tumors, and acoustic neuroma. Compared with never-users, no statistically significant associations were found, overall or by tumor subtype, for daily cellular telephone use or for having used cellular telephones for at least 10 years. Taking use in 2011 as baseline, there were no statistically significant associations with talking for at least 20 minutes per week or with at least 10 years use. For gliomas occurring in the temporal and parietal lobes, the parts of the brain most likely to be exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from cellular telephones, relative risks were slightly below 1.0. CONCLUSION Our findings support the accumulating evidence that cellular telephone use under usual conditions does not increase brain tumor incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Schüz
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, Lyon, France
| | - Kirstin Pirie
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gillian K Reeves
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sarah Floud
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Valerie Beral
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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7
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Auvinen A, Cardis E, Blettner M, Moissonnier M, Sadetzki S, Giles G, Johansen C, Swerdlow A, Cook A, Fleming S, Berg-Beckhoff G, Iavarone I, Parent ME, Woodward A, Tynes T, McBride M, Krewski D, Feychting M, Takebayashi T, Armstrong B, Hours M, Siemiatycki J, Lagorio S, Larsen SB, Schoemaker M, Klaeboe L, Lönn S, Schüz J. Diagnostic radiological examinations and risk of intracranial tumours in adults-findings from the Interphone Study. Int J Epidemiol 2022; 51:537-546. [PMID: 34648614 PMCID: PMC9082802 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyab140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation is among the few well-established brain tumour risk factors. We used data from the Interphone study to evaluate the effects of exposure to low-dose radiation from diagnostic radiological examinations on glioma, meningioma and acoustic neuroma risk. METHODS Brain tumour cases (2644 gliomas, 2236 meningiomas, 1083 neuromas) diagnosed in 2000-02 were identified through hospitals in 13 countries, and 6068 controls (population-based controls in most centres) were included in the analysis. Participation across all centres was 64% for glioma cases, 78% for meningioma cases, 82% for acoustic neuroma cases and 53% for controls. Information on previous diagnostic radiological examinations was obtained by interviews, including the frequency, timing and indication for the examinations. Typical brain doses per type of examination were estimated based on the literature. Examinations within the 5 years before the index date were excluded from the dose estimation. Adjusted odds ratios were estimated using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS No materially or consistently increased odds ratios for glioma, meningioma or acoustic neuroma were found for any specific type of examination, including computed tomography of the head and cerebral angiography. The only indication of an elevated risk was an increasing trend in risk of meningioma with the number of isotope scans, but no such trends for other examinations were observed. No gradient was found in risk with estimated brain dose. Age at exposure did not substantially modify the findings. Sensitivity analyses gave results consistent with the main analysis. CONCLUSIONS There was no consistent evidence for increased risks of brain tumours with X-ray examinations, although error from selection and recall bias cannot be completely excluded. A cautious interpretation is warranted for the observed association between isotope scans and meningioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anssi Auvinen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Unit of Health Sciences, Tampere
University, Tampere, Finland
- STUK—Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Helsinki,
Finland
| | - Elisabeth Cardis
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Centre for Research in
Environmental Epidemiology, Universitat Pompeu Funebra, Barcelona,
Spain
- CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Publica, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Graham Giles
- Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Anthony Swerdlow
- Division of Genetics and Epidemiology, Institute of Cancer
Research, London, UK
- Division of Breast Cancer Research, Institute of Cancer
Research, London, UK
| | - Angus Cook
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Western
Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Marie-Elise Parent
- INRS Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la
Recherche Scientifique, Université du Québec, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Alistair Woodward
- School of Population Health, University of Auckland,
Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tore Tynes
- National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mary McBride
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Dan Krewski
- McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, University of
Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Bruce Armstrong
- School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW,
Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Minouk Schoemaker
- Division of Genetics and Epidemiology, Institute of Cancer
Research, London, UK
| | - Lars Klaeboe
- Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Østerås, Norway
| | - Stefan Lönn
- Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Region Halland, Research and Development, Sweden
| | - Joachim Schüz
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
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8
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Schlehofer B, Blettner M, Moissonnier M, Deltour I, Giles GG, Armstrong B, Siemiatycki J, Parent ME, Krewski D, Johansen C, Auvinen A, Lahkola A, Hours M, Berg-Beckhoff G, Sadetzki S, Lagorio S, Takebayashi T, Yamaguchi N, Woodward A, Cook A, Tynes T, Klaboe L, Feychting M, Feltbower R, Swerdlow A, Schoemaker M, Cardis E, Schüz J. Association of allergic diseases and epilepsy with risk of glioma, meningioma and acoustic neuroma: results from the INTERPHONE international case-control study. Eur J Epidemiol 2022; 37:503-512. [PMID: 35118581 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-022-00843-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the association of allergic diseases and epilepsy with risk of brain tumours, in Interphone, a 13-country case-control study. Data were obtained from 2693 glioma cases, 2396 meningioma cases, and 1102 acoustic neuroma cases and their 6321 controls. Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for education and time at interview. Reduced ORs were observed for glioma in relation to physician-diagnosed asthma (OR = 0.73; CI 0.58-0.92), hay fever (OR 0.72; CI 0.61-0.86), and eczema (OR 0.78, CI 0.64-0.94), but not for meningioma or acoustic neuroma. Previous diagnosis of epilepsy was associated with an increased OR for glioma (2.94; CI 1.87-4.63) and for meningioma (2.12; CI 1.27-3.56), but not for acoustic neuroma. This large-scale case-control study adds to the growing evidence that people with allergies have a lower risk of developing glioma, but not meningioma or acoustic neuroma. It also supports clinical observations of epilepsy prior to the diagnosis of glioma and meningioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Schlehofer
- Leimen, Germany (retired); formerly: Unit of Environmental Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Blettner
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Monika Moissonnier
- International Agency for Research On Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, Lyon, France
| | - Isabelle Deltour
- International Agency for Research On Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, Lyon, France
| | - Graham G Giles
- Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Bruce Armstrong
- School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | | | - Daniel Krewski
- McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Anssi Auvinen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- STUK Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Environmental Radiation Surveillance, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna Lahkola
- STUK Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Environmental Radiation Surveillance, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Gabriele Berg-Beckhoff
- Unit for Health Promotion Research, Department of Public Health, and Hospital South West Jutland Esbjerg, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Siegal Sadetzki
- Cancer & Radiation Epidemiology Unit, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology & Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Susanna Lagorio
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Toru Takebayashi
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naohito Yamaguchi
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Alistair Woodward
- School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Angus Cook
- Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Tore Tynes
- National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars Klaboe
- Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Østerås; The Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maria Feychting
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Elisabeth Cardis
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
- University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiologia Y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joachim Schüz
- International Agency for Research On Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, Lyon, France.
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Castaño-Vinyals G, Sadetzki S, Vermeulen R, Momoli F, Kundi M, Merletti F, Maslanyj M, Calderon C, Wiart J, Lee AK, Taki M, Sim M, Armstrong B, Benke G, Schattner R, Hutter HP, Krewski D, Mohipp C, Ritvo P, Spinelli J, Lacour B, Remen T, Radon K, Weinmann T, Petridou ET, Moschovi M, Pourtsidis A, Oikonomou K, Kanavidis P, Bouka E, Dikshit R, Nagrani R, Chetrit A, Bruchim R, Maule M, Migliore E, Filippini G, Miligi L, Mattioli S, Kojimahara N, Yamaguchi N, Ha M, Choi K, Kromhout H, Goedhart G, 't Mannetje A, Eng A, Langer CE, Alguacil J, Aragonés N, Morales-Suárez-Varela M, Badia F, Albert A, Carretero G, Cardis E. Wireless phone use in childhood and adolescence and neuroepithelial brain tumours: Results from the international MOBI-Kids study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 160:107069. [PMID: 34974237 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.107069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, the possibility that use of mobile communicating devices, particularly wireless (mobile and cordless) phones, may increase brain tumour risk, has been a concern, particularly given the considerable increase in their use by young people. MOBI-Kids, a 14-country (Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain) case-control study, was conducted to evaluate whether wireless phone use (and particularly resulting exposure to radiofrequency (RF) and extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF)) increases risk of brain tumours in young people. Between 2010 and 2015, the study recruited 899 people with brain tumours aged 10 to 24 years old and 1,910 controls (operated for appendicitis) matched to the cases on date of diagnosis, study region and age. Participation rates were 72% for cases and 54% for controls. The mean ages of cases and controls were 16.5 and 16.6 years, respectively; 57% were males. The vast majority of study participants were wireless phones users, even in the youngest age group, and the study included substantial numbers of long-term (over 10 years) users: 22% overall, 51% in the 20-24-year-olds. Most tumours were of the neuroepithelial type (NBT; n = 671), mainly glioma. The odds ratios (OR) of NBT appeared to decrease with increasing time since start of use of wireless phones, cumulative number of calls and cumulative call time, particularly in the 15-19 years old age group. A decreasing trend in ORs was also observed with increasing estimated cumulative RF specific energy and ELF induced current density at the location of the tumour. Further analyses suggest that the large number of ORs below 1 in this study is unlikely to represent an unknown causal preventive effect of mobile phone exposure: they can be at least partially explained by differential recall by proxies and prodromal symptoms affecting phone use before diagnosis of the cases. We cannot rule out, however, residual confounding from sources we did not measure. Overall, our study provides no evidence of a causal association between wireless phone use and brain tumours in young people. However, the sources of bias summarised above prevent us from ruling out a small increased risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Castaño-Vinyals
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), 88 Doctor Aiguader, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - S Sadetzki
- Cancer & Radiation Epidemiology Unit, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology & Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - R Vermeulen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - F Momoli
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Canada; Risk Science International, Ottawa, Canada
| | - M Kundi
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, Austria
| | - F Merletti
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | | | | | - J Wiart
- Laboratoire de Traitement et Communication de l'Information (LTCI), Telecom Paris, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91120 Palaiseau, France
| | - A-K Lee
- Radio Technology Research Department, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Korea
| | - M Taki
- Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Graduate Schools of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - M Sim
- School of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - B Armstrong
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia
| | - G Benke
- School of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - R Schattner
- School of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - H-P Hutter
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, Austria
| | - D Krewski
- Risk Science International, Ottawa, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - C Mohipp
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - P Ritvo
- York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - J Spinelli
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - B Lacour
- French National Registry of Childhood Solid Tumors, CHRU, Nancy, France; Inserm UMR 1153, Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Paris University, Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers Team (EPICEA), Paris, France
| | - T Remen
- Inserm UMR 1153, Center of Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Paris University, Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers Team (EPICEA), Paris, France
| | - K Radon
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - T Weinmann
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - E Th Petridou
- Hellenic Society for Social Pediatrics & Health Promotion, Greece; Dept of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - M Moschovi
- Hellenic Society for Social Pediatrics & Health Promotion, Greece
| | - A Pourtsidis
- Hellenic Society for Social Pediatrics & Health Promotion, Greece
| | - K Oikonomou
- Hellenic Society for Social Pediatrics & Health Promotion, Greece
| | - P Kanavidis
- Hellenic Society for Social Pediatrics & Health Promotion, Greece
| | - E Bouka
- Hellenic Society for Social Pediatrics & Health Promotion, Greece
| | - R Dikshit
- Centre for Cancer Epidemiology, Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai 410210, India
| | - R Nagrani
- Centre for Cancer Epidemiology, Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai 410210, India; Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS, Achterstrasse 30, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - A Chetrit
- Cancer & Radiation Epidemiology Unit, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology & Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - R Bruchim
- Cancer & Radiation Epidemiology Unit, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology & Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - M Maule
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - E Migliore
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - G Filippini
- Scientific Director's Office, Carlo Besta Foundation and Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - L Miligi
- Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology Branch, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
| | - S Mattioli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Italy
| | - N Kojimahara
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Public Health, Shizuoka Graduate University of Public Health, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - N Yamaguchi
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan; Saiseikai Research Institute of Care and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan
| | - M Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, 119 Dandae-ro, Cheonan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - K Choi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, 119 Dandae-ro, Cheonan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - H Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - G Goedhart
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - A 't Mannetje
- Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - A Eng
- Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - C E Langer
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), 88 Doctor Aiguader, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - J Alguacil
- CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales, Salud y Medio Ambiente (RENSMA), Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - N Aragonés
- CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain; Epidemiology Section, Public Health Division, Department of Health of Madrid, 28035 Madrid, Spain
| | - M Morales-Suárez-Varela
- CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain; Unit of Public Health and Environmental Care, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - F Badia
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), 88 Doctor Aiguader, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain; Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Albert
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), 88 Doctor Aiguader, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - G Carretero
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), 88 Doctor Aiguader, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain; Institut Català d'Oncologia, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - E Cardis
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), 88 Doctor Aiguader, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain; University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain.
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10
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Pareja-Peña F, Burgos-Molina AM, Sendra-Portero F, Ruiz-Gómez MJ. Evidences of the (400 MHz - 3 GHz) radiofrequency electromagnetic field influence on brain tumor induction. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:121-130. [PMID: 32149530 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2020.1738352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Due to the massive increase in non-ionizing radiation emitting devices, the social concern about the possible malignancy to its exposure has increased the research interest. The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) included the radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) of mobile phones on the category 2B as 'possibly' carcinogenic to humans. Epidemiological studies noticed a causal association between the exposure to RF-EMF and the incidence of brain neoplasm in different populations, since this is the organ with the highest specific absorption rate. The fact that so many of the ipsilateral tumors found are statistically significant with RF-EMF exposure provides weight suggesting causality. In this way, the higher the exposure (ipsilateral vs contralateral), the longer the cumulative exposure (hours of exposure) and the longer the latency (beyond 10 years); the greater the risk. In addition, considering together all of these parameters suggest a strong causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Pareja-Peña
- Departamento de Radiología y Medicina Física, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España
| | - Antonio M Burgos-Molina
- Departamento de Radiología y Medicina Física, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España
| | - Francisco Sendra-Portero
- Departamento de Radiología y Medicina Física, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España
| | - Miguel J Ruiz-Gómez
- Departamento de Radiología y Medicina Física, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España
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11
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Hardell L, Carlberg M. Lost opportunities for cancer prevention: historical evidence on early warnings with emphasis on radiofrequency radiation. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2021; 36:585-597. [PMID: 33594846 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2020-0168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Some historical aspects on late lessons from early warnings on cancer risks with lost time for prevention are discussed. One current example is the cancer-causing effect from radiofrequency (RF) radiation. Studies since decades have shown increased human cancer risk. The fifth generation, 5G, for wireless communication is about to be implemented world-wide despite no comprehensive investigations of potential risks to human health and the environment. This has created debate on this technology among concerned people in many countries. In an appeal to EU in September 2017, currently endorsed by more than 400 scientists and medical doctors, a moratorium on the 5G deployment was required until proper scientific evaluation of negative consequences has been made (www.5Gappeal.eu). That request has not been taken seriously by EU. Lack of proper unbiased risk evaluation of the 5G technology makes adverse effects impossible to be foreseen. This disregard is exemplified by the recent report from the International Commission on non-ionizing radiation protection (ICNIRP) whereby only thermal (heating) effects from RF radiation are acknowledged despite a large number of reported non-thermal effects. Thus, no health effects are acknowledged by ICNIRP for non-thermal RF electromagnetic fields in the range of 100 kHz-300 GHz. Based on results in three case-control studies on use of wireless phones we present preventable fraction for brain tumors. Numbers of brain tumors of not defined type were found to increase in Sweden, especially in the age group 20-39 years in both genders, based on the Swedish Inpatient Register. This may be caused by the high prevalence of wireless phone use among children and in adolescence taking a reasonable latency period and the higher vulnerability to RF radiation among young persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Hardell
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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12
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Choi KH, Ha J, Bae S, Lee AK, Choi HD, Ahn YH, Ha M, Joo H, Kwon HJ, Jung KW. Mobile Phone Use and Time Trend of Brain Cancer Incidence Rate in Korea. Bioelectromagnetics 2021; 42:629-648. [PMID: 34541704 DOI: 10.1002/bem.22373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluated the time trends in mobile phone subscriber number by mobile network generation (G) and brain cancer incidence by type in Korea. We obtained data from the Information Technology Statistics of Korea (1984-2017) and Korea Central Cancer Registry (1999-2017). The average annual percent change was estimated using Joinpoint regression analysis. We evaluated 29,721 brain cancer cases with an age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of 2.89/100,000 persons. The glioma and glioblastoma annual ASR significantly increased in 2.6% and 3.9% of males and 3.0% and 3.8% of females, respectively. The ASR for frontal lobe involvement was the highest. The ASR of gliomas of unspecified grade annually increased by 7.8%; those for unspecified topology and histology decreased. The incidence of glioma, glioblastoma, frontal, temporal, and high-grade glioma increased among those aged ≥60 years. No association was observed between the mobile phone subscriber number and brain cancer incidence in Korea. Furthermore, long-term research is warranted because of the latency period of brain cancer. © 2021 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Hwa Choi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Johyun Ha
- Division of Cancer Registration and Surveillance, National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghyuk Bae
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ae-Kyoung Lee
- Radio Technology Research Department, ETRI, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Do Choi
- Radio Technology Research Department, ETRI, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hwan Ahn
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Mina Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunjoo Joo
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho-Jang Kwon
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Won Jung
- Division of Cancer Registration and Surveillance, National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
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13
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Colciago A, Audano M, Bonalume V, Melfi V, Mohamed T, Reid AJ, Faroni A, Greer PA, Mitro N, Magnaghi V. Transcriptomic Profile Reveals Deregulation of Hearing-Loss Related Genes in Vestibular Schwannoma Cells Following Electromagnetic Field Exposure. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071840. [PMID: 34360009 PMCID: PMC8307028 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss (HL) is the most common sensory disorder in the world population. One common cause of HL is the presence of vestibular schwannoma (VS), a benign tumor of the VIII cranial nerve, arising from Schwann cell (SC) transformation. In the last decade, the increasing incidence of VS has been correlated to electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure, which might be considered a pathogenic cause of VS development and HL. Here, we explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the biologic changes of human SCs and/or their oncogenic transformation following EMF exposure. Through NGS technology and RNA-Seq transcriptomic analysis, we investigated the genomic profile and the differential display of HL-related genes after chronic EMF. We found that chronic EMF exposure modified the cell proliferation, in parallel with intracellular signaling and metabolic pathways changes, mostly related to translation and mitochondrial activities. Importantly, the expression of HL-related genes such as NEFL, TPRN, OTOGL, GJB2, and REST appeared to be deregulated in chronic EMF exposure. In conclusion, we suggest that, at a preclinical stage, EMF exposure might promote the transformation of VS cells and contribute to HL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Colciago
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.C.); (M.A.); (V.B.); (V.M.); (T.M.); (N.M.)
| | - Matteo Audano
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.C.); (M.A.); (V.B.); (V.M.); (T.M.); (N.M.)
| | - Veronica Bonalume
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.C.); (M.A.); (V.B.); (V.M.); (T.M.); (N.M.)
| | - Valentina Melfi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.C.); (M.A.); (V.B.); (V.M.); (T.M.); (N.M.)
| | - Tasnim Mohamed
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.C.); (M.A.); (V.B.); (V.M.); (T.M.); (N.M.)
| | - Adam J. Reid
- Blond McIndoe Laboratories, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9NQ, UK; (A.J.R.); (A.F.)
- Department of Plastic Surgery & Burns, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Center, Manchester M13 9NQ, UK
| | - Alessandro Faroni
- Blond McIndoe Laboratories, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9NQ, UK; (A.J.R.); (A.F.)
| | - Peter A. Greer
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada;
| | - Nico Mitro
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.C.); (M.A.); (V.B.); (V.M.); (T.M.); (N.M.)
| | - Valerio Magnaghi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.C.); (M.A.); (V.B.); (V.M.); (T.M.); (N.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0250318414
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14
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Hardell L. Health Council of the Netherlands and evaluation of the fifth generation, 5G, for wireless communication and cancer risks. World J Clin Oncol 2021; 12:393-403. [PMID: 34189065 PMCID: PMC8223711 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v12.i6.393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently the fifth generation, 5G, for wireless communication is about to be rolled out worldwide. Many persons are concerned about potential health risks from radiofrequency radiation. In September 2017, a letter was sent to the European Union asking for a moratorium on the deployment until scientific evaluation has been made on potential health risks (http://www.5Gappeal.eu). This appeal has had little success. The Health Council of the Netherlands released on September 2, 2020 their evaluation on 5G and health. It was largely based on a World Health Organization draft and report by the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, both criticized for not being impartial. The guidelines by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection were recommended to be used, although they have been considered to be insufficient to protect against health hazards (http://www.emfscientist.org). The Health Council Committee recommended not to use the 26 GHz frequency band until health risks have been studied. For lower frequencies, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines were recommended. The conclusion that there is no reason to stop the use of lower frequencies for 5G is not justified by current evidence on cancer risks as commented in this article. A moratorium is urgently needed on the implementation of 5G for wireless communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Hardell
- The Environment and Cancer Research Foundation, Studievägen 35, Örebro SE-702 17, Sweden
- Department of Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro SE-701 82, Sweden (retired)
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15
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Myung SK, Moskowitz JM, Choi YJ, Hong YC. Reply to Comment on Choi, Y.-J., et al. Cellular Phone Use and Risk of Tumors: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 8079. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:3326. [PMID: 33807080 PMCID: PMC8005003 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18063326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
We appreciate Frank de Vocht and Martin Röösli's interest [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Kwon Myung
- Department of Cancer Biomedical Science, National Cancer Center Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, Goyang 10408, Korea
- Department of Family Medicine and Center for Cancer Prevention and Detection, Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang 10408, Korea
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Management, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Goyang 10408, Korea
| | - Joel M. Moskowitz
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Yoon-Jung Choi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 110-744, Korea; (Y.-J.C.); (Y.-C.H.)
- Environmental Health Center, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Yun-Chul Hong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 110-744, Korea; (Y.-J.C.); (Y.-C.H.)
- Environmental Health Center, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul 03080, Korea
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16
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Cellular Phone Use and Risk of Tumors: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17218079. [PMID: 33147845 PMCID: PMC7663653 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17218079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We investigated whether cellular phone use was associated with increased risk of tumors using a meta-analysis of case-control studies. PubMed and EMBASE were searched from inception to July 2018. The primary outcome was the risk of tumors by cellular phone use, which was measured by pooling each odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). In a meta-analysis of 46 case-control studies, compared with never or rarely having used a cellular phone, regular use was not associated with tumor risk in the random-effects meta-analysis. However, in the subgroup meta-analysis by research group, there was a statistically significant positive association (harmful effect) in the Hardell et al. studies (OR, 1.15-95% CI, 1.00 to 1.33- n = 10), a statistically significant negative association (beneficial effect) in the INTERPHONE-related studies (case-control studies from 13 countries coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); (OR, 0.81-95% CI, 0.75 to 0.89-n = 9), and no statistically significant association in other research groups' studies. Further, cellular phone use with cumulative call time more than 1000 h statistically significantly increased the risk of tumors. This comprehensive meta-analysis of case-control studies found evidence that linked cellular phone use to increased tumor risk.
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17
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Carlberg M, Koppel T, Ahonen M, Hardell L. Case-control study on occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields and the association with acoustic neuroma. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 187:109621. [PMID: 32422481 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) was in 2002 classified as a possible human carcinogen, Group 2B, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer at WHO based on an increased risk for childhood leukemia. In case-control studies on brain and head tumours during 1997-2003 and 2007-2009 we assessed life-time occupations in addition to exposure to different agents. The INTEROCC ELF-EMF Job-Exposure Matrix was used for associating occupations with ELF-EMF exposure (μT) with acoustic neuroma. Cumulative exposure (μT-years), average exposure (μT) and maximum exposed job (μT) were calculated. No increased risk for acoustic neuroma was found in any category. For cumulative exposure in the highest exposure category 8.52+ μT years odds ratio (OR) = 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.8-2.0, p linear trend = 0.37 was calculated. No statistically significant risks were found in the time windows 1-14 years, and 15+ years, respectively. In conclusion occupational ELF-EMF was not associated with an increased risk for acoustic neuroma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Carlberg
- The Environment and Cancer Research Foundation, Studievägen 35, SE 702 17, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Tarmo Koppel
- Department of Labour Environment and Safety, Tallinn University of Technology, SCO351 Ehitajate Tee 5, 19086, Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Mikko Ahonen
- Institute of Environmental Health and Safety, Jaama 14-3, 11615, Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Lennart Hardell
- The Environment and Cancer Research Foundation, Studievägen 35, SE 702 17, Örebro, Sweden.
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Ostrom QT, Adel Fahmideh M, Cote DJ, Muskens IS, Schraw JM, Scheurer ME, Bondy ML. Risk factors for childhood and adult primary brain tumors. Neuro Oncol 2020; 21:1357-1375. [PMID: 31301133 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noz123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary brain tumors account for ~1% of new cancer cases and ~2% of cancer deaths in the United States; however, they are the most commonly occurring solid tumors in children. These tumors are very heterogeneous and can be broadly classified into malignant and benign (or non-malignant), and specific histologies vary in frequency by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Epidemiological studies have explored numerous potential risk factors, and thus far the only validated associations for brain tumors are ionizing radiation (which increases risk in both adults and children) and history of allergies (which decreases risk in adults). Studies of genetic risk factors have identified 32 germline variants associated with increased risk for these tumors in adults (25 in glioma, 2 in meningioma, 3 in pituitary adenoma, and 2 in primary CNS lymphoma), and further studies are currently under way for other histologic subtypes, as well as for various childhood brain tumors. While identifying risk factors for these tumors is difficult due to their rarity, many existing datasets can be leveraged for future discoveries in multi-institutional collaborations. Many institutions are continuing to develop large clinical databases including pre-diagnostic risk factor data, and developments in molecular characterization of tumor subtypes continue to allow for investigation of more refined phenotypes. Key Point 1. Brain tumors are a heterogeneous group of tumors that vary significantly in incidence by age, sex, and race/ethnicity.2. The only well-validated risk factors for brain tumors are ionizing radiation (which increases risk in adults and children) and history of allergies (which decreases risk).3. Genome-wide association studies have identified 32 histology-specific inherited genetic variants associated with increased risk of these tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn T Ostrom
- Department of Medicine, Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Maral Adel Fahmideh
- Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - David J Cote
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Computational Neuroscience Outcomes Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ivo S Muskens
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jeremy M Schraw
- Department of Medicine, Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Michael E Scheurer
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Melissa L Bondy
- Department of Medicine, Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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Melnick R. Regarding ICNIRP'S Evaluation of the National Toxicology Program's Carcinogenicity Studies on Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields. HEALTH PHYSICS 2020; 118:678-682. [PMID: 32345908 DOI: 10.1097/hp.0000000000001268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
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20
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Paniagua JM, Rufo M, Jiménez A, Antolín A. Dimensionless coefficients for assessing human exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields indoors and outdoors in urban areas. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 183:109188. [PMID: 32032813 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The main objective of this work was to evaluate human exposure to electromagnetic fields in a city of about one hundred thousand inhabitants, both inside and outside dwellings, using exposure quotients. To this end, a personal exposure meter was used, collecting data in different frequency bands, including radio and television broadcasting, mobile telephony, cordless telephones, and wireless communication networks. The indoor measurements were made with the exposure meter in a static position. Those outdoor were made by walking around the building with the exposure meter held by the operator. The median electric field was 0.200 V/m outdoors and 0.102 V/m indoors. The median of the ICNIRP exposure quotients for multiple-frequency sources was 25 10-6 outside and 16 10-6 inside. The proximity of the operator's body caused the readings of the electric field in the FM band to be overestimated by a factor of 1.35, and in the mobile telephony bands by factors from 0.76 to 1.02. The standard deviation of the measurements repeated inside a dwelling over five days was of the order of the exposure meter's standard uncertainty of calibration, but the spatial dispersion at the scale of a dwelling and of the city was much greater. The two main contributors to the exposure were FM radio followed by the "downlink" mobile telephony bands. Inside the dwellings, the DECT and WIFI bands contributed less. Exposure quotients are dimensionless parameters that characterize exposure, and reflect the relative weight of each service to that exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús M Paniagua
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Technology, University of Extremadura, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10003, Caceres, Spain.
| | - Montaña Rufo
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Technology, University of Extremadura, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10003, Caceres, Spain
| | - Antonio Jiménez
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Technology, University of Extremadura, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10003, Caceres, Spain
| | - Alicia Antolín
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Technology, University of Extremadura, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10003, Caceres, Spain
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21
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Röösli M, Lagorio S, Schoemaker MJ, Schüz J, Feychting M. Brain and Salivary Gland Tumors and Mobile Phone Use: Evaluating the Evidence from Various Epidemiological Study Designs. Annu Rev Public Health 2019; 40:221-238. [PMID: 30633716 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040218-044037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Mobile phones (MPs) are the most relevant source of radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure to the brain and the salivary gland. Whether this exposure implies a cancer risk has been addressed in several case-control and few cohort studies. A meta-analysis of these studies does not show increased risks for meningioma, pituitary, and salivary gland tumors. For glioma and acoustic neuroma, the results are heterogeneous, with few case-control studies reporting substantially increased risks. However, these elevated risks are not coherent with observed incidence time trends, which are considered informative for this specific topic owing to the steep increase in MP use, the availability of virtually complete cancer registry data from many countries, and the limited number of known competing environmental risk factors. In conclusion, epidemiological studies do not suggest increased brain or salivary gland tumor risk with MP use, although some uncertainty remains regarding long latency periods (>15 years), rare brain tumor subtypes, and MP usage during childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Röösli
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4051 Basel, Switzerland;
- University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Susanna Lagorio
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Minouk J Schoemaker
- Division of Genetics and Epidemiology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, United Kingdom
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 69372 Lyon, France
| | - Maria Feychting
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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22
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Sato Y, Kojimahara N, Yamaguchi N. Simulation of the incidence of malignant brain tumors in birth cohorts that started using mobile phones when they first became popular in Japan. Bioelectromagnetics 2019; 40:143-149. [PMID: 30875091 DOI: 10.1002/bem.22176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Over 20 years have passed since the initial spread of mobile phones in Japan. Epidemiological studies of mobile phone use are currently being conducted around the world, but scientific evidence is inconclusive. The present study aimed to simulate the incidence of malignant brain tumors in cohorts that began using mobile phones when they first became popular in Japan. Mobile phone ownership data were collected through an Internet-based questionnaire survey of subjects born between 1960 and 1989. The proportion of mobile phone ownership between 1990 and 2012 was calculated by birth cohort (1960s, 1970s, and 1980s). Subsequently, using the ownership proportion, the incidence of malignant brain tumors was calculated under simulated risk conditions. When the relative risk was set to 1.4 for 1,640 h or more of cumulative mobile phone use and the mean daily call duration was 15 min, the incidence of malignant brain tumors in 2020 was 5.48 per 100,000 population for the 1960s birth cohort, 3.16 for the 1970s birth cohort, and 2.29 for the 1980s birth cohort. Under the modeled scenarios, an increase in the incidence of malignant brain tumors was shown to be observed around 2020. © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuto Sato
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriko Kojimahara
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naohito Yamaguchi
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
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23
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Gao H, Aresu M, Vergnaud AC, McRobie D, Spear J, Heard A, Kongsgård HW, Singh D, Muller DC, Elliott P. Personal radio use and cancer risks among 48,518 British police officers and staff from the Airwave Health Monitoring Study. Br J Cancer 2019; 120:375-378. [PMID: 30585256 PMCID: PMC6354010 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-018-0365-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) from mobile phones have been classified as potentially carcinogenic. No study has investigated use of Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), a source of RF-EMF with wide occupational use, and cancer risks. METHODS We investigated association of monthly personal radio use and risk of cancer using Cox proportional hazards regression among 48,518 police officers and staff of the Airwave Health Monitoring Study in Great Britain. RESULTS During median follow-up of 5.9 years, 716 incident cancer cases were identified. Among users, the median of the average monthly duration of use in the year prior to enrolment was 30.5 min (inter-quartile range 8.1, 68.1). Overall, there was no association between personal radio use and risk of all cancers (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93, 1.03). For head and neck cancers HR = 0.72 (95% CI: 0.30, 1.70) among personal radio users vs non-users, and among users it was 1.06 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.23) per doubling of minutes of personal radio use. CONCLUSIONS With the limited follow-up to date, we found no evidence of association of personal radio use with cancer risk. Continued follow-up of the cohort is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Gao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Maria Aresu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Anne-Claire Vergnaud
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Dennis McRobie
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jeanette Spear
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Andy Heard
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Håvard Wahl Kongsgård
- Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Deepa Singh
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - David C Muller
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Paul Elliott
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Health Effects of Environmental Hazards, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI) at Imperial College, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Health Data Research-UK (HDR) London Centre at Imperial College, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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24
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de Vocht F. Analyses of temporal and spatial patterns of glioblastoma multiforme and other brain cancer subtypes in relation to mobile phones using synthetic counterfactuals. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 168:329-335. [PMID: 30384227 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This study assesses whether temporal trends in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in different brain regions, and of different malignant and benign (including acoustic neuroma and meningioma) subtypes in the temporal lobe, could be associated with mobile phone use. Annual 1985-2005 incidence of brain cancer subtypes for England were linked to population-level covariates. Bayesian structural timeseries were used to create 2006-2014 counterfactual trends, and differences with measured newly diagnosed cases were interpreted as causal effects. Increases in excess of the counterfactuals for GBM were found in the temporal (+38% [95% Credible Interval -7%,78%]) and frontal (+36% [-8%,77%]) lobes, which were in agreement with hypothesised temporal and spatial mechanisms of mobile phone usage, and cerebellum (+59% [-0%,120%]). However, effects were primarily present in older age groups, with largest effects in 75 + and 85 + groups, indicating mobile phone use is unlikely to have been an important putative factor. There was no evidence of an effect of mobile phone use on incidence of acoustic neuroma and meningioma. Although 1985-2014 trends in GBM in the temporal and frontal lobes, and probably cerebellum, seem consistent with mobile phone use as an important putative factor, age-group specific analyses indicate that it is unlikely that this correlation is causal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank de Vocht
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK.
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25
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Hardell L, Carlberg M. Comments on the US National Toxicology Program technical reports on toxicology and carcinogenesis study in rats exposed to whole-body radiofrequency radiation at 900 MHz and in mice exposed to whole-body radiofrequency radiation at 1,900 MHz. Int J Oncol 2019; 54:111-127. [PMID: 30365129 PMCID: PMC6254861 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2018.4606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During the use of handheld mobile and cordless phones, the brain is the main target of radiofrequency (RF) radiation. An increased risk of developing glioma and acoustic neuroma has been found in human epidemiological studies. Primarily based on these findings, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) at the World Health Organization (WHO) classified in May, 2011 RF radiation at the frequency range of 30 kHz‑300 GHz as a 'possible' human carcinogen, Group 2B. A carcinogenic potential for RF radiation in animal studies was already published in 1982. This has been confirmed over the years, more recently in the Ramazzini Institute rat study. An increased incidence of glioma in the brain and malignant schwannoma in the heart was found in the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) study on rats and mice. The NTP final report is to be published; however, the extended reports are published on the internet for evaluation and are reviewed herein in more detail in relation to human epidemiological studies. Thus, the main aim of this study was to compare earlier human epidemiological studies with NTP findings, including a short review of animal studies. We conclude that there is clear evidence that RF radiation is a human carcinogen, causing glioma and vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma). There is some evidence of an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer, and clear evidence that RF radiation is a multi‑site carcinogen. Based on the Preamble to the IARC Monographs, RF radiation should be classified as carcinogenic to humans, Group 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Hardell
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital, SE-701 85 Örebro
- The Environment and Cancer Research Foundation, SE 702 17 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Michael Carlberg
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital, SE-701 85 Örebro
- The Environment and Cancer Research Foundation, SE 702 17 Örebro, Sweden
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26
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Kaul V, Cosetti MK. Management of Vestibular Schwannoma (Including NF2). Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2018; 51:1193-1212. [DOI: 10.1016/j.otc.2018.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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27
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Belpomme D, Hardell L, Belyaev I, Burgio E, Carpenter DO. Thermal and non-thermal health effects of low intensity non-ionizing radiation: An international perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 242:643-658. [PMID: 30025338 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to low frequency and radiofrequency electromagnetic fields at low intensities poses a significant health hazard that has not been adequately addressed by national and international organizations such as the World Health Organization. There is strong evidence that excessive exposure to mobile phone-frequencies over long periods of time increases the risk of brain cancer both in humans and animals. The mechanism(s) responsible include induction of reactive oxygen species, gene expression alteration and DNA damage through both epigenetic and genetic processes. In vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate adverse effects on male and female reproduction, almost certainly due to generation of reactive oxygen species. There is increasing evidence the exposures can result in neurobehavioral decrements and that some individuals develop a syndrome of "electro-hypersensitivity" or "microwave illness", which is one of several syndromes commonly categorized as "idiopathic environmental intolerance". While the symptoms are non-specific, new biochemical indicators and imaging techniques allow diagnosis that excludes the symptoms as being only psychosomatic. Unfortunately standards set by most national and international bodies are not protective of human health. This is a particular concern in children, given the rapid expansion of use of wireless technologies, the greater susceptibility of the developing nervous system, the hyperconductivity of their brain tissue, the greater penetration of radiofrequency radiation relative to head size and their potential for a longer lifetime exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Belpomme
- European Cancer Environment Research Institute, Brussels, Belgium; Paris V University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Lennart Hardell
- European Cancer Environment Research Institute, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Oncology, Orebro University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Orebro, Sweden
| | - Igor Belyaev
- European Cancer Environment Research Institute, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Radiobiology, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Science, Bratislava, Slovak Republic; Laboratory of Radiobiology, Institute of General Physics, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Ernesto Burgio
- European Cancer Environment Research Institute, Brussels, Belgium; Instituto Scientifico Biomedico Euro Mediterraneo, Mesagne, Italy
| | - David O Carpenter
- European Cancer Environment Research Institute, Brussels, Belgium; Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA; Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, Brisbane, Australia.
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Smeds H, Wales J, Mathiesen T, Talbäck M, Feychting M. Occurrence of primary brain tumors in cochlear implant patients in Sweden between 1989 and 2014. Clin Epidemiol 2018; 10:1401-1405. [PMID: 30323683 PMCID: PMC6179583 DOI: 10.2147/clep.s164556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Cochlear implants are widely used for hearing rehabilitation of deaf children with congenital deafness or adults with acquired severe-to-profound hearing loss. The sound processor antenna creates a radio frequency-electromagnetic field transmitting the sound signal to the implant, similar to that in a mobile phone. A recent case report suggested a relationship between cochlear implants and malignant glioma, and some epidemiological studies have suggested an increased glioma and acoustic neuroma risk associated with long hours of mobile phone use. An epidemiological study is warranted to evaluate such a relationship in patients with cochlear implants. PATIENTS AND METHODS To examine whether this chronic radio frequency-electromagnetic field signaling is associated with an increased brain tumor risk, a population-based cohort study was performed examining all 2,748 patients receiving a cochlear implant in Sweden during the years 1989-2014. In all, 3,169 surgeries were performed in the total cohort. The expected occurrence of glioma, meningioma, and acoustic neuroma in the patient cohort was calculated using specific national incidence rates in the Swedish population. RESULTS Four patients were diagnosed with a brain tumor during follow-up, three of them having meningioma compared with 0.95 expected (standardized incidence ratio =3.16, 95% CI 0.65-9.24), and one had glioma compared with 1.34 expected (standardized incidence ratio =0.75, 95% CI 0.02-4.15). No case of acoustic neuroma was observed compared with 0.09 expected. CONCLUSION In this study, we did not find support for concerns raised in a previous case report regarding a potentially higher risk of glioma. The number of brain tumors observed was well within the numbers expected from national incidence figures. Although this was a relatively small cohort with a limited follow-up time, it is the largest epidemiological study to date to address this concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Smeds
- Department of Otolaryngology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden,
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden,
| | - Jeremy Wales
- Department of Otolaryngology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden,
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden,
| | - Tiit Mathiesen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mats Talbäck
- Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Feychting
- Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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29
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Kiyohara K, Wake K, Watanabe S, Arima T, Sato Y, Kojimahara N, Taki M, Cardis E, Yamaguchi N. Long-term recall accuracy for mobile phone calls in young Japanese people: A follow-up validation study using software-modified phones. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2018; 28:166-172. [PMID: 28000687 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2016.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study examined changes in recall accuracy for mobile phone calls over a long period. Japanese students' actual call statuses were monitored for 1 month using software-modified phones (SMPs). Three face-to-face interviews were conducted to obtain information regarding self-reported call status during the monitoring period: first interview: immediately after the monitoring period; second interview: after 10-12 months; third interview: after 48-55 months. Using the SMP records as the "gold standard", phone call recall accuracy was assessed for each interview. Data for 94 participants were analyzed. The number of calls made was underestimated considerably and the duration of calls was overestimated slightly in all interviews. Agreement between self-report and SMP records regarding the number of calls, duration of calls and laterality (i.e., use of the dominant ear while making calls) gradually deteriorated with the increase in the interval following the monitoring period (number of calls: first interview: Pearson's r=0.641, third interview: 0.396; duration of calls: first interview: Pearson's r=0.763, third interview: 0.356; laterality: first interview: weighted-κ=0.677, third interview: 0.448). Thus, recall accuracy for mobile phone calls would be consistently imperfect over a long period, and the results of related epidemiological studies should be interpreted carefully.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Kiyohara
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kanako Wake
- Electromagnetic Compatibility Laboratory, Applied Electromagnetic Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Soichi Watanabe
- Electromagnetic Compatibility Laboratory, Applied Electromagnetic Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takuji Arima
- Division of Advanced Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei-shi, Tokyo Japan
| | - Yasuto Sato
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriko Kojimahara
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masao Taki
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Elisabeth Cardis
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Naohito Yamaguchi
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Sage C, Hardell L. Fatal collision? Are wireless headsets a risk in treating patients? Electromagn Biol Med 2018; 37:95-99. [DOI: 10.1080/15368378.2017.1422261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lennart Hardell
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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Toledano MB, Auvinen A, Tettamanti G, Cao Y, Feychting M, Ahlbom A, Fremling K, Heinävaara S, Kojo K, Knowles G, Smith RB, Schüz J, Johansen C, Poulsen AH, Deltour I, Vermeulen R, Kromhout H, Elliott P, Hillert L. An international prospective cohort study of mobile phone users and health (COSMOS): Factors affecting validity of self-reported mobile phone use. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2018; 221:1-8. [PMID: 29056311 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This study investigates validity of self-reported mobile phone use in a subset of 75 993 adults from the COSMOS cohort study. Agreement between self-reported and operator-derived mobile call frequency and duration for a 3-month period was assessed using Cohen's weighted Kappa (κ). Sensitivity and specificity of both self-reported high (≥10 calls/day or ≥4h/week) and low (≤6 calls/week or <30min/week) mobile phone use were calculated, as compared to operator data. For users of one mobile phone, agreement was fair for call frequency (κ=0.35, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.36) and moderate for call duration (κ=0.50, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.50). Self-reported low call frequency and duration demonstrated high sensitivity (87% and 76% respectively), but for high call frequency and duration sensitivity was lower (38% and 56% respectively), reflecting a tendency for greater underestimation than overestimation. Validity of self-reported mobile phone use was lower in women, younger age groups and those reporting symptoms during/shortly after using a mobile phone. This study highlights the ongoing value of using self-report data to measure mobile phone use. Furthermore, compared to continuous scale estimates used by previous studies, categorical response options used in COSMOS appear to improve validity considerably, most likely by preventing unrealistically high estimates from being reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireille B Toledano
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK; National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Health Impact of Environmental Hazards, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK.
| | - Anssi Auvinen
- School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, FI-33014, Tampere, Finland; Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), 00811 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Giorgio Tettamanti
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yang Cao
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Maria Feychting
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anders Ahlbom
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karin Fremling
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sirpa Heinävaara
- Finnish Cancer Registry, Mass Screening Registry, Unioninkatu 22, FI-00130 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Katja Kojo
- Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), 00811 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gemma Knowles
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK; National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Health Impact of Environmental Hazards, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Rachel B Smith
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK; National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Health Impact of Environmental Hazards, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Joachim Schüz
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Section of Environment and Radiation, 69372 Lyon, France
| | - Christoffer Johansen
- Oncology clinic, Finsen Center, Copenhagen, Denmark; The Danish Cancer Society Research Center, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Isabelle Deltour
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Section of Environment and Radiation, 69372 Lyon, France
| | - Roel Vermeulen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Elliott
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK; National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Health Impact of Environmental Hazards, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Lena Hillert
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Stockholm County Council, 104 22 Stockholm, Sweden
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Sienkiewicz Z, Calderón C, Broom KA, Addison D, Gavard A, Lundberg L, Maslanyj M. Are Exposures to Multiple Frequencies the Key to Future Radiofrequency Research? Front Public Health 2017; 5:328. [PMID: 29276705 PMCID: PMC5727023 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2017.00328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an extensive literature investigating possible effects of exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields associated with mobile phone technologies. This has not identified any public health risks with any degree of certainty. Some epidemiological studies have observed associations between heavy users of mobile phones and some types of cancer, but animal studies do not support this association, although a few studies have reported increased tumor yields. However, there is a crucial difference between epidemiology studies and laboratory work in terms of signals investigated: most people are exposed to a complex mixture of frequencies and signals at varying intensities, whereas the majority of animal studies have been performed using a single frequency or intensity. Whether this might explain the differences in outcome will be discussed, and whether there is a need for additional laboratory investigations that reproduce more accurately realistic exposure conditions will be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenon Sienkiewicz
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - Carolina Calderón
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - Kerry A Broom
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - Darren Addison
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - Amélie Gavard
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - Louise Lundberg
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, United Kingdom
| | - Myron Maslanyj
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, United Kingdom
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Sato Y, Kojimahara N, Taki M, Yamaguchi N. Analysis of ear side of mobile phone use in the general population of Japan. Bioelectromagnetics 2017; 39:53-59. [PMID: 29171064 DOI: 10.1002/bem.22098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to clarify the distribution of the ear side of mobile phone use in the general population of Japan and clarify what factors are associated with the ear side of mobile phone use. Children at elementary and junior high schools (n = 2,518) and adults aged ≥20 years (n = 1,529) completed an Internet-based survey. Data were subjected to a logistic regression analysis. In children, due to the tendency to use the dominant hand, we analyzed the factors associated with the use of right ear in right-handed people. Statistically significant differences were observed only in talk time per call (odds ratio (OR) = 2.17; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22-3.99). In adults, due to the tendency to use the left ear, we analyzed factors associated with the use of left ear in right-handed people. Significant differences were observed in those aged 30-39 years (OR = 2.55; 95% CI: 1.79-3.68), those aged 40-49 years (OR = 3.08; 95% CI: 2.15-4.43), those aged >50 years (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.20-2.85), and in those with a percentage of total talk time when using mobile phones at work of 51-100% (OR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.21-2.55). We believe that future epidemiological studies on mobile phone use can be improved by considering the trends in mobile phone use identified in this study. Bioelectromagnetics. 39:53-59, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuto Sato
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriko Kojimahara
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masao Taki
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naohito Yamaguchi
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
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Halliday J, Rutherford SA, McCabe MG, Evans DG. An update on the diagnosis and treatment of vestibular schwannoma. Expert Rev Neurother 2017; 18:29-39. [DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2018.1399795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jane Halliday
- Department of Neurosurgery, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Stott Lane, Salford, Manchester, UK
| | - Scott A. Rutherford
- Department of Neurosurgery, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Stott Lane, Salford, Manchester, UK
| | - Martin G. McCabe
- Division of Cancer Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Dafydd G. Evans
- Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, MAHSC, Division of Evolution and Genomic Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Çeliker M, Özgür A, Tümkaya L, Terzi S, Yılmaz M, Kalkan Y, Erdoğan E. Effects of exposure to 2100 MHz GSM-like radiofrequency electromagnetic field on auditory system of rats. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol 2017; 83:691-696. [PMID: 27865708 PMCID: PMC9449170 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2016.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2016] [Revised: 09/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The use of mobile phones has become widespread in recent years. Although beneficial from the communication viewpoint, the electromagnetic fields generated by mobile phones may cause unwanted biological changes in the human body. Objective In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of 2100 MHz Global System for Mobile communication (GSM-like) electromagnetic field, generated by an electromagnetic fields generator, on the auditory system of rats by using electrophysiological, histopathologic and immunohistochemical methods. Methods Fourteen adult Wistar albino rats were included in the study. The rats were divided randomly into two groups of seven rats each. The study group was exposed continuously for 30 days to a 2100 MHz electromagnetic fields with a signal level (power) of 5.4 dBm (3.47 mW) to simulate the talk mode on a mobile phone. The control group was not exposed to the aforementioned electromagnetic fields. After 30 days, the Auditory Brainstem Responses of both groups were recorded and the rats were sacrificed. The cochlear nuclei were evaluated by histopathologic and immunohistochemical methods. Results The Auditory Brainstem Responses records of the two groups did not differ significantly. The histopathologic analysis showed increased degeneration signs in the study group (p = 0.007). In addition, immunohistochemical analysis revealed increased apoptotic index in the study group compared to that in the control group (p = 0.002). Conclusion The results support that long-term exposure to a GSM-like 2100 MHz electromagnetic fields causes an increase in neuronal degeneration and apoptosis in the auditory system.
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Momoli F, Siemiatycki J, McBride ML, Parent MÉ, Richardson L, Bedard D, Platt R, Vrijheid M, Cardis E, Krewski D. Probabilistic Multiple-Bias Modeling Applied to the Canadian Data From the Interphone Study of Mobile Phone Use and Risk of Glioma, Meningioma, Acoustic Neuroma, and Parotid Gland Tumors. Am J Epidemiol 2017; 186:885-893. [PMID: 28535174 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwx157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We undertook a re-analysis of the Canadian data from the 13-country case-control Interphone Study (2001-2004), in which researchers evaluated the associations of mobile phone use with the risks of brain, acoustic neuroma, and parotid gland tumors. In the main publication of the multinational Interphone Study, investigators concluded that biases and errors prevented a causal interpretation. We applied a probabilistic multiple-bias model to address possible biases simultaneously, using validation data from billing records and nonparticipant questionnaires as information on recall error and selective participation. In our modeling, we sought to adjust for these sources of uncertainty and to facilitate interpretation. For glioma, when comparing those in the highest quartile of use (>558 lifetime hours) to those who were not regular users, the odds ratio was 2.0 (95% confidence interval: 1.2, 3.4). After adjustment for selection and recall biases, the odds ratio was 2.2 (95% limits: 1.3, 4.1). There was little evidence of an increase in the risk of meningioma, acoustic neuroma, or parotid gland tumors in relation to mobile phone use. Adjustments for selection and recall biases did not materially affect interpretation in our results from Canadian data.
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Sage C, Burgio E. Electromagnetic Fields, Pulsed Radiofrequency Radiation, and Epigenetics: How Wireless Technologies May Affect Childhood Development. Child Dev 2017; 89:129-136. [PMID: 28504324 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Mobile phones and other wireless devices that produce electromagnetic fields (EMF) and pulsed radiofrequency radiation (RFR) are widely documented to cause potentially harmful health impacts that can be detrimental to young people. New epigenetic studies are profiled in this review to account for some neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral changes due to exposure to wireless technologies. Symptoms of retarded memory, learning, cognition, attention, and behavioral problems have been reported in numerous studies and are similarly manifested in autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, as a result of EMF and RFR exposures where both epigenetic drivers and genetic (DNA) damage are likely contributors. Technology benefits can be realized by adopting wired devices for education to avoid health risk and promote academic achievement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ernesto Burgio
- International Society of Doctors for Environment (ISDE) Scientific Office
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38
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Bielsa-Fernández P, Rodríguez-Martín B. [Association between radiation from mobile phones and tumour risk in adults]. GACETA SANITARIA 2017; 32:81-91. [PMID: 28411874 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2016.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2016] [Revised: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To synthesize and analyse systematic reviews, case-control studies, cohort studies and meta-analysis that investigate the association between exposure to radiofrequency from mobile phones and the appearance of tumours in adults. METHODS A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Medline and Cinahl of articles published in English and Spanish between January 2005 and February 2016 that analyse the risk of tumour associated with exposure to radiofrequency from mobile phones in adults. The recommendations of the PRISMA Declaration were followed, and the quality of the articles was analysed with the AMSTAR tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS 1034 studies were found, fourteen of which were included. Most studies agree that it is not possible to determine a relationship in the short term, although long-term (over 10 years) radiofrequency emitted by mobile phones can cause tumour effects, with an increased risk by ipsilateral exposure and latency. CONCLUSIONS Although radiofrequency from mobile phones has tumour effects on humans, the available scientific evidence is not robust. More rigorous follow-up studies with larger sample sizes and broader periods are necessary to learn more about the long-term effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Bielsa-Fernández
- Departamento de Enfermería y Fisioterapia, Facultad de Terapia Ocupacional, Logopedia y Enfermería, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), España
| | - Beatriz Rodríguez-Martín
- Departamento de Enfermería y Fisioterapia, Facultad de Terapia Ocupacional, Logopedia y Enfermería, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), España; Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, España.
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Calderón C, Ichikawa H, Taki M, Wake K, Addison D, Mee T, Maslanyj M, Kromhout H, Lee AK, Sim MR, Wiart J, Cardis E. ELF exposure from mobile and cordless phones for the epidemiological MOBI-Kids study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2017; 101:59-69. [PMID: 28126406 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes measurements and computational modelling carried out in the MOBI-Kids case-control study to assess the extremely low frequency (ELF) exposure of the brain from use of mobile and cordless phones. Four different communication systems were investigated: Global System for Mobile (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) and Wi-Fi Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). The magnetic fields produced by the phones during transmission were measured under controlled laboratory conditions, and an equivalent loop was fitted to the data to produce three-dimensional extrapolations of the field. Computational modelling was then used to calculate the induced current density and electric field strength in the brain resulting from exposure to these magnetic fields. Human voxel phantoms of four different ages were used: 8, 11, 14 and adult. The results indicate that the current densities induced in the brain during DECT calls are likely to be an order of magnitude lower than those generated during GSM calls but over twice that during UMTS calls. The average current density during Wi-Fi VoIP calls was found to be lower than for UMTS by 30%, but the variability across the samples investigated was high. Spectral contributions were important to consider in relation to current density, particularly for DECT phones. This study suggests that the spatial distribution of the ELF induced current densities in brain tissues is determined by the physical characteristics of the phone (in particular battery position) while the amplitude is mainly dependent on communication system, thus providing a feasible basis for assessing ELF exposure in the epidemiological study. The number of phantoms was not large enough to provide definitive evidence of an increase of induced current density with age, but the data that are available suggest that, if present, the effect is likely to be very small.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Calderón
- Public Health England, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ, UK.
| | - Hiroki Ichikawa
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Masao Taki
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Kanako Wake
- EMC Group, Applied Electromagnetic Research Center, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Darren Addison
- Public Health England, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ, UK
| | - Terry Mee
- Public Health England, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ, UK
| | - Myron Maslanyj
- Public Health England, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ, UK
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Science, Utrecht University, PO Box 80178, NL 3508 TD, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ae-Kyoung Lee
- Radio Technology Research Department, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Malcolm R Sim
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Alfred Centre, Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Joe Wiart
- Télécom ParisTech, 37-39 Rue Dareau, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Elisabeth Cardis
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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Carlberg M, Hardell L. Evaluation of Mobile Phone and Cordless Phone Use and Glioma Risk Using the Bradford Hill Viewpoints from 1965 on Association or Causation. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 2017:9218486. [PMID: 28401165 PMCID: PMC5376454 DOI: 10.1155/2017/9218486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Objective. Bradford Hill's viewpoints from 1965 on association or causation were used on glioma risk and use of mobile or cordless phones. Methods. All nine viewpoints were evaluated based on epidemiology and laboratory studies. Results. Strength: meta-analysis of case-control studies gave odds ratio (OR) = 1.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.31-2.76 with highest cumulative exposure. Consistency: the risk increased with latency, meta-analysis gave in the 10+ years' latency group OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.20-2.19. Specificity: increased risk for glioma was in the temporal lobe. Using meningioma cases as comparison group still increased the risk. Temporality: highest risk was in the 20+ years' latency group, OR = 2.01, 95% CI =1.41-2.88, for wireless phones. Biological gradient: cumulative use of wireless phones increased the risk. Plausibility: animal studies showed an increased incidence of glioma and malignant schwannoma in rats exposed to radiofrequency (RF) radiation. There is increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from RF radiation. Coherence: there is a change in the natural history of glioma and increasing incidence. Experiment: antioxidants reduced ROS production from RF radiation. Analogy: there is an increased risk in subjects exposed to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields. Conclusion. RF radiation should be regarded as a human carcinogen causing glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Carlberg
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, 701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Lennart Hardell
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, 701 82 Örebro, Sweden
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Hardell L, Carlberg M, Koppel T, Hedendahl L. High radiofrequency radiation at Stockholm Old Town: An exposimeter study including the Royal Castle, Supreme Court, three major squares and the Swedish Parliament. Mol Clin Oncol 2017; 6:462-476. [PMID: 28413651 PMCID: PMC5374933 DOI: 10.3892/mco.2017.1180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation was classified as a possible human carcinogen, Group 2B, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer at WHO in 2011. The exposure pattern is changing due to the rapid development of technology. Outdoor RF radiation level was measured during five tours in Stockholm Old Town in April, 2016 using the EME Spy 200 exposimeter with 20 predefined frequencies. The results were based on 10,437 samples in total. The mean level of the total RF radiation was 4,293 µW/m2 (0.4293 µW/cm2). The highest mean levels were obtained for global system for mobile communications (GSM) + universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) 900 downlink and long-term evolution (LTE) 2600 downlink (1,558 and 1,265 µW/m2, respectively). The town squares displayed highest total mean levels, with the example of Järntorget square with 24,277 µW/m2 (min 257, max 173,302 µW/m2). These results were in large contrast to areas with lowest total exposure, such as the Supreme Court, with a mean level of 404 µW/m2 (min 20.4, max 4,088 µW/m2). In addition, measurements in the streets surrounding the Royal Castle were lower than the total for the Old Town, with a mean of 756 µW/m2 (min 0.3, max 50,967 µW/m2). The BioInitiative 2012 Report defined the scientific benchmark for possible health risks as 30–60 µW/m2. Our results of outdoor RF radiation exposure at Stockholm Old Town are significantly above that level. The mean exposure level at Järntorget square was 405-fold higher than 60 µW/m2. Our results were below the reference level on 10,000,000 µW/m2 established by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), which, however, are less credible, as they do not take non-thermal effects into consideration and are not based on sound scientific evaluation. Our highest measured mean level at Järntorget was 0.24% of the ICNIRP level. A number of studies have found adverse, non-thermal (no measurable temperature increase) health effects far below the ICNIRP guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Hardell
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Michael Carlberg
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Tarmo Koppel
- Department of Labour Environment and Safety, Tallinn University of Technology, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Lena Hedendahl
- Independent Environment and Health Research Luleå, SE-972 53 Luleå, Sweden
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Mobile phone use and risk of brain tumours: a systematic review of association between study quality, source of funding, and research outcomes. Neurol Sci 2017; 38:797-810. [DOI: 10.1007/s10072-017-2850-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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43
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Havas M. When theory and observation collide: Can non-ionizing radiation cause cancer? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 221:501-505. [PMID: 27903411 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
This paper attempts to resolve the debate about whether non-ionizing radiation (NIR) can cause cancer-a debate that has been ongoing for decades. The rationale, put forward mostly by physicists and accepted by many health agencies, is that, "since NIR does not have enough energy to dislodge electrons, it is unable to cause cancer." This argument is based on a flawed assumption and uses the model of ionizing radiation (IR) to explain NIR, which is inappropriate. Evidence of free-radical damage has been repeatedly documented among humans, animals, plants and microorganisms for both extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) and for radio frequency (RF) radiation, neither of which is ionizing. While IR directly damages DNA, NIR interferes with the oxidative repair mechanisms resulting in oxidative stress, damage to cellular components including DNA, and damage to cellular processes leading to cancer. Furthermore, free-radical damage explains the increased cancer risks associated with mobile phone use, occupational exposure to NIR (ELF EMF and RFR), and residential exposure to power lines and RF transmitters including mobile phones, cell phone base stations, broadcast antennas, and radar installations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda Havas
- Trent School of the Environment, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9J 0G2, Canada.
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Miranda-Filho A, Piñeros M, Soerjomataram I, Deltour I, Bray F. Cancers of the brain and CNS: global patterns and trends in incidence. Neuro Oncol 2017; 19:270-280. [PMID: 27571887 PMCID: PMC5464292 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/now166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancers of the brain and CNS constitute a group of rare and heterogeneous tumors. Increasing incidence in Western populations has been linked to improvements in diagnostic technology, although interpretation is hampered by changes in diagnosis and reporting. The present study examines geographic and temporal variations in incidence rates of brain and CNS cancers worldwide. Methods Data from successive volumes of Cancer Incidence in Five Continents were used, including 96 registries in 39 countries. We used Joinpoint regression to estimate the average annual percentage change and its 95% CI. Results Globally, a large variability in the magnitude of the diagnosis of new cases of brain and CNS cancer was found, with a 5-fold difference between the highest rates (mainly in Europe) and the lowest (mainly in Asia). Increasing rates of brain and CNS cancer were found in South America, namely in Ecuador, Brazil, and Colombia; in eastern Europe (Czech Republic and Russia), in southern Europe (Slovenia), and in the 3 Baltic countries. Trends were similar between sexes, although decreasing trends in men and women were seen in Japan and New Zealand. Conclusions Important regional variations in brain and CNS cancers exist, and given an increasing burden and risk worldwide, there is a need for further etiological research that focuses on the elucidation of environmental risk. The trends are sufficiently complex and diffuse, however, to warrant a cautious approach to interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adalberto Miranda-Filho
- National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Section of Cancer Surveillance, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Marion Piñeros
- Section of Cancer Surveillance, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Isabelle Soerjomataram
- Section of Cancer Surveillance, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Isabelle Deltour
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Freddie Bray
- Section of Cancer Surveillance, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
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Kiyohara K, Wake K, Watanabe S, Arima T, Sato Y, Kojimahara N, Taki M, Yamaguchi N. Recall accuracy of mobile phone calls among Japanese young people. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2016; 26:566-574. [PMID: 25783661 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2015.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Revised: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 12/31/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to elucidate the recall accuracy of mobile phone calls among young people using new software-modified phone (SMP) technology. A total of 198 Japanese students aged between 10 and 24 years were instructed to use a SMP for 1 month to record their actual call statuses. Ten to 12 months after this period, face-to-face interviews were conducted to obtain the self-reported call statuses during the monitoring period. Using the SMP record as the gold standard of validation, the recall accuracy of phone calls was evaluated. A total of 19% of the participants (34/177) misclassified their laterality (i.e., the dominant side of ear used while making calls), with the level of agreement being moderate (κ-statistics, 0.449). The level of agreement between the self-reports and SMP records was relatively good for the duration of calls (Pearson's r, 0.620), as compared with the number of calls (Pearson's r, 0.561). The recall was prone to small systematic and large random errors for both the number and duration of calls. Such a large random recall error for the amount of calls and misclassification of laterality suggest that the results of epidemiological studies of mobile phone use based on self-assessment should be interpreted cautiously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Kiyohara
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kanako Wake
- Electromagnetic Compatibility Laboratory, Applied Electromagnetic Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Soichi Watanabe
- Electromagnetic Compatibility Laboratory, Applied Electromagnetic Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takuji Arima
- Division of Advanced Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuto Sato
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriko Kojimahara
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masao Taki
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naohito Yamaguchi
- Department of Public Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Hardell L, Koppel T, Carlberg M, Ahonen M, Hedendahl L. Radiofrequency radiation at Stockholm Central Railway Station in Sweden and some medical aspects on public exposure to RF fields. Int J Oncol 2016; 49:1315-1324. [PMID: 27633090 PMCID: PMC5021254 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2016.3657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Stockholm Central Railway Station in Sweden was investigated for public radiofrequency (RF) radiation exposure. The exposimeter EME Spy 200 was used to collect the RF exposure data across the railway station. The exposimeter covers 20 different radiofrequency bands from 88 to 5,850 MHz. In total 1,669 data points were recorded. The median value for total exposure was 921 µW/m2 (or 0.092 µW/cm2; 1 µW/m2=0.0001 µW/cm2) with some outliers over 95,544 µW/m2 (6 V/m, upper detection limit). The mean total RF radiation level varied between 2,817 to 4,891 µW/m2 for each walking round. High mean measurements were obtained for GSM + UMTS 900 downlink varying between 1,165 and 2,075 µW/m2. High levels were also obtained for UMTS 2100 downlink; 442 to 1,632 µW/m2. Also LTE 800 downlink, GSM 1800 downlink, and LTE 2600 downlink were in the higher range of measurements. Hot spots were identified, for example close to a wall mounted base station yielding over 95,544 µW/m2 and thus exceeding the exposimeter's detection limit. Almost all of the total measured levels were above the precautionary target level of 3-6 µW/m2 as proposed by the BioInitiative Working Group in 2012. That target level was one-tenth of the scientific benchmark providing a safety margin either for children, or chronic exposure conditions. We compare the levels of RF radiation exposures identified in the present study to published scientific results reporting adverse biological effects and health harm at levels equivalent to, or below those measured in this Stockholm Central Railway Station project. It should be noted that these RF radiation levels give transient exposure, since people are generally passing through the areas tested, except for subsets of people who are there for hours each day of work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Hardell
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Tarmo Koppel
- Department of Labour Environment and Safety Tallinn University of Technology, SCO351 Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia, Sweden
| | - Michael Carlberg
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Mikko Ahonen
- Institute of Environmental Health and Safety, 11615 Tallinn, Estonia, Sweden
| | - Lena Hedendahl
- Independent Environment and Health Research Luleå, SE-972 53 Luleå, Sweden
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Sato Y, Kiyohara K, Kojimahara N, Yamaguchi N. Time trend in incidence of malignant neoplasms of the central nervous system in relation to mobile phone use among young people in Japan. Bioelectromagnetics 2016; 37:282-9. [PMID: 27197787 DOI: 10.1002/bem.21982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine whether incidence of malignant neoplasms of the central nervous system from 1993 to 2010 has increased among young people in Japan, and whether the increase could be explained by increase in mobile phone use. Joinpoint regression analysis of incidence data was performed. Subsequently, the expected incidence rate was calculated assuming that the relative risk was 1.4 for those who used mobile phones more than 1640 h cumulatively. Annual percent change was 3.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-6.3) for men in their 20s from 1993 to 2010, 12.3% (95% CI, 3.3-22.1) for women in their 20s from 2002 to 2010, 2.7% (95% CI, 1.3-4.1) for men in their 30s from 1993 to 2010, and 3.0% (95% CI, 1.4-4.7) for women in their 30s from 1993 to 2010. Change in incidence rates from 1993 to 2010 was 0.92 per 100,000 people for men in their 20s, 0.83 for women in their 20s, 0.89 for men in their 30s, and 0.74 for women in their 30s. Change in expected incidence rates from 1993 to 2010 was 0.08 per 100,000 people for men in their 20s, 0.03 for women in their 20s, 0.15 for men in their 30s, and 0.05 for women in their 30s. Patterns in sex-, age-, and period-specific incidence increases are inconsistent with sex-, age-, and period-specific prevalence trends, suggesting the overall incidence increase cannot be explained by heavy mobile phone use. Bioelectromagnetics. 37:282-289, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuto Sato
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kosuke Kiyohara
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriko Kojimahara
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naohito Yamaguchi
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
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Quach P, El Sherif R, Gomes J, Krewksi D. A systematic review of the risk factors associated with the onset and progression of primary brain tumours. Neurotoxicology 2016; 61:214-232. [PMID: 27212451 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2016.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The overall aim of this systematic review was to identify risk factors for onset and natural progression, which were shown to increase, decrease, or have a null association with risk of primary brain tumour. For onset, the project was separated into two phases. The first phase consisted of a systematic search of existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Moderate to high methodological quality reviews were incorporated and summarized with relevant observational studies published since 2010, identified from a systematic search performed in phase 2. For natural progression, only the first phase was conducted. Standard systematic review methodology was utilized. Based on this review, various genetic variants, pesticide exposures, occupational farming/hairdressing, cured meat consumption and personal hair dye use appear to be associated with increased risk of onset amongst adults. The specific EGF polymorphsm 61-A allele within Caucasian populations and having a history of allergy was associated with a decreased risk. For progression, M1B-1 antigen was shown to increase the risk. High birth weight, pesticide exposure (childhood exposure, and parental occupational exposure) and maternal consumption of cured meat during pregnancy may also increase the risk of onset of childhood brain tumours. Conversely, maternal intake of pre-natal supplements (folic acid) appeared to decrease risk. Children with neurofibromatosis 2 were considered to have worse overall and relapse free survival compared to neurofibromatosis 1, as were those children who had grade III tumours compared to lesser grades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Quach
- School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Reem El Sherif
- Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - James Gomes
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Canada
| | - Daniel Krewksi
- School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Risk Sciences International, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Cochlear implants in the etiopathogenesis of glioblastoma--an interesting observation or independent finding? Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2016; 158:907-12. [PMID: 26858207 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-016-2718-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Various risk factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of glioblastomas including ionizing radiation. Recent evidence has suggested a possible association between exposure to nonionizing radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) generated from mobile phones and wireless devices to cause malignant transformation of the neuroglial cells, albeit this is widely debated. In this report, we discuss the development of glioblastoma in two geopolitically unrelated patients, an elderly male from the United States and a middle-aged woman from Sweden, with long-standing cochlear implants (CI). We hypothesize that the low-frequency RF-EMF emanating from the transcutaneous link of the CI prosthesis over a long period has potentially triggered tumor development in these patients.
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Bhatt CR, Redmayne M, Abramson MJ, Benke G. Instruments to assess and measure personal and environmental radiofrequency-electromagnetic field exposures. AUSTRALASIAN PHYSICAL & ENGINEERING SCIENCES IN MEDICINE 2015; 39:29-42. [PMID: 26684750 DOI: 10.1007/s13246-015-0412-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Radiofrequency-electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure of human populations is increasing due to the widespread use of mobile phones and other telecommunication and broadcasting technologies. There are ongoing concerns about potential short- and long-term public health consequences from RF-EMF exposures. To elucidate the RF-EMF exposure-effect relationships, an objective evaluation of the exposures with robust assessment tools is necessary. This review discusses and compares currently available RF-EMF exposure assessment instruments, which can be used in human epidemiological studies. Quantitative assessment instruments are either mobile phone-based (apps/software-modified and hardware-modified) or exposimeters. Each of these tool has its usefulness and limitations. Our review suggests that assessment of RF-EMF exposures can be improved by using these tools compared to the proxy measures of exposure (e.g. questionnaires and billing records). This in turn, could be used to help increase knowledge about RF-EMF exposure induced health effects in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhavi Raj Bhatt
- Centre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Victoria, Melbourne, 3004, Australia.
| | - Mary Redmayne
- Centre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Victoria, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Michael J Abramson
- Centre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Victoria, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Geza Benke
- Centre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Victoria, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
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