WHO study linking cell phone/brain tumor mentions AN

[CHD63]

All I can say is ..... if we stopped eating/using everything that was "bad" for us, we would not be alive!      Everything in moderation, I say .....   

Clarice

[leapyrtwins]

Yes, and red dye #2 is going to kill us all!

If you search on "cell phones" you'll find multiple threads about cell phones and ANs.

Nothing has been proven - and I'm among the many who believe that nothing will ever been proven.

I still subscribe to the fish hatchery theory, myself   

Jan

[FlyersFan68]

I agree with "everything in moderation". Cell phones may not be the direst cause of acoustic neuromas but could be another culprit and could help explain why more and more people are being diagnosed aside from MRI's. I have a cell phone but don't stay on it for more than 5 minutes. I need it to reach my children when I'm not home. I believe most people with AN's were BORN with the defective genes but I also believe certain things such as cell phones may contribute to new cases especially among those that use their phones for long periods. In the end, I would take an acoustic over a giloma anyday but damn these acoustics for messing with my life. 

[Pooter]

I believe that in the absense of a known cause, people will go overboard while trying to make sense of the whole thing.  To some, the fish hatchery "explaination" makes sense to them, so they subscribe to that theory.  To others, the use of cell phones being the culprit makes sense, so they assign value there.  For others, the red dye #2 theory floats their boat, so off they go (off the deep end).  And yet, most of us wait for a credible "cause" found by doctors that makes sense to us because nothing has been shown to definitively cause AN's..  So, most of us are in that place and will remain there.

Just my $0.02 worth..  Take it for what it's worth.  I'm full of free advice. 

Regards,
Brian

[leapyrtwins]

I was only kidding about the fish hatchery theory    I think it's a whole lot of "bunk".

Jan

[Pooter]

Yeah, yeah..  Everyone knows you subscribe to the theory that fish born in a hatchery surrounded by Red Dye #2 and cell phone signals are the real culprit..  Personally, I think it's a Democratic conspiracy to control the world.  But, who's counting. 

Brian

[ppearl214]

But, who's counting. 

I'm not... I think its due to my mother's protests in the late 60's for woman's rights!


More press this week on this subject.. again, inconclusive..... more studies, no clear results... and heck, if true, what % could attribute to it? My sister died of a malignant brain tumor in 1969 at age 14... and certainly no cellphone use in her life at the time. Go figure.  For me, truth or not truth... I'll take the fish hatchery excuse... with Red Dye #2.

Phyl

[sgerrard]

The thing about cell phones, and for that matter red dye and fish hatcheries, is that you have to look at the numbers.

The WHO study followed some 13,000 people for about 10 years. That group would have about 1 or 2 acoustic neuromas in that time. That makes meaningful statistics pretty hard to come by. The highest reported increase in tumors was 39% (1 out of 8 studies). If that were the true number, what would that mean? It would mean that if 1 million people gave up their cell phones for a year, they would get only 10 acoustic neuromas among them, instead of 14 of them.

An acoustic neuroma is a rare condition. It doesn't make sense for a million people to give up using cell phones so that 4 people don't get an AN. The only people who might think it makes sense are people like us, who have already gotten one. One reporter pointed out that far more people die every year because they are texting or talking on cell phones while driving. Focusing on problems that are common makes far more sense.

40% may seem like a big increase (I doubt the real number is that high), but consider that if you buy two lottery tickets instead of one, you have improved your chances of winning by 100%. Does that suddenly make it likely that you will win? No it doesn't. And using a cell phone does not suddenly make it likely that you will get a brain tumor, either. Getting an acoustic neuroma remains a very unlikely thing, no matter what you do or don't do.

Steve

[Jim Scott]

Steve ~

Thanks for bringing logic to the discussion about 'studies' linking cell phones and the development of acoustic neuromas.  Mathematics has never been my 'forte but your use of 'the numbers' (and their context) is enlightening. 

Jim

[leapyrtwins]

Yeah, yeah..  Everyone knows you subscribe to the theory that fish born in a hatchery surrounded by Red Dye #2 and cell phone signals are the real culprit..  Personally, I think it's a Democratic conspiracy to control the world. 

You know, Pooter, I never considered a Democratic conspiracy but I think that just might be it   

Steve, your logic is very logical - but it's casting a negative light on our humorous speculations!  LOL

I know, I know, Phyl.  Back to the topic at hand 

Jan