What is the scuttlebutt about cause and effect of AN

[Ugne3030]

Ok, so for many of us survivors what caused theses begin tumours? I have received 8 academic reports from Ontario's center for Workers and there seems to be no concrete answers. Thinks like wifi, cell phone usage, exposure to radiation, and noise seem to be potential topics as a cause. We know what the effect is unfortunately.

In this one study, out of 100 AN survivors, 8 from this one study were police officers, what about EMT, firefighters, first responders, is there a correlation? Please wade in with anything you have heard, I am curious as to what I owe my experience too. it would be nice to have some answers but not likely in my lifetime.

Adam

As Stevie Wonder sang tonight, just say you love someone, sing it out, mean it and be grateful.

[CHD63]

Hi Adam .....

You might want to check out the ongoing study by Dr. Elizabeth Claus at Yale.  See:  https://www.anausa.org/component/content/article/22-menu-articles/about-ana/307-yale-university-acoustic-neuroma-study-

This study is still open for participants.  Many of us at the 2013 ANA Symposium in Los Angeles provided the first samples/data for this study.

According to Dr. Claus and other experts at previous ANA symposiums, at this point the only known cause is large doses of ionizing radiation.  It does not mean if you received such radiation you will automatically grow a tumor ...... it only means a higher risk than the average population.  By large doses, they mean way higher doses than any mode of treatment/testing done today.

Many, many acoustic neuromas occur without any known cause to date.  That is why Dr. Claus is conducting her study.

I happen to be one of the unlucky patients who had large doses of radiation as a child.  Although I was/am not part of this study, you can read about it, if you would like:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2600840/

Clarice

[PaulW]

We also need to differentiate between ionising radiation and non ionizing radiation.
X-rays for instance are ionising radiation... Ionising radiation can strip electrons from atoms.. Turning them into ions.... That makes them chemically active which can cause cell damage.
Lower frequency radiation, like visible light, infrared, and radio waves are non ionising and cannot cause cell damage through ionisation. This is why for many years radio waves were considered safe.

There are a number of studies that have shown a very weak link between cell phone use and acoustic neuromas. But the incidence are so low and the studies are often flawed due to some sort of bias.
Patient recall of telephone use, non randomised population etc.
The results are then inconclusive... Which means the cell phone debate continues to rage...


There is a study on pubmed.... Sorry can't find it....
And the studies conclusion...
People with cell phones that use them regularly are more likely to notice hearing loss, and do something about it. Higher acoustic neuroma detection rates occur with people with cell phones!
The bias that this creates explains the weak link between cell phone use and AN's that has been seen in many studies.

[Mimispree]

I hate using my cell phone and rarely used it but I wonder if there are other tumor patients who have had head injuries well before the tumor was detected. 

Twice I suffered serious head injuries:  One, from a hiking fall, and Two, during a mugging the back of my head was kicked and I had a inch-and-a-half crack and temporary amnesia.

Like everyone else, I'm just wondering.