Cell phone and Acoustic Neuroma study

[Dave_S121]

Below is a link to an article from MSN concerning a study in the British Journal of Cancer.  The study said that in the first decade of cellular telephone use there has been no link between cell phone use and Acoustic Neuroma.  The study relied on data obtain from countries in Europe where cellular telephones were introduced early.  The study also cautions that the data if for only 10 years.  It will be interesting to see what the effect will be over 20+ years.  My own experience is that my Acoustic Neuroma was on my right side.  Since I'm right handed and am often times writting while on the phone, my telephone use is almost always on my left side. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9131704/

Dave Skaja

[Raydean]

This subject has also been discussed on another site (acousticneuromacoolist) I thought I'd share the following post to add to the above posting.

Best to all
raydean

A Swedish study reported about 10 months ago concluded that the use of mobile phones for 10 years or more led to a fourfold increase in the risk for acoustic neuromas. 

 

Now a British study reaches exactly the opposite conclusion!

“The latest data from the UK, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, included 678 people with acoustic neuroma and 3,553 without this form of cancer.

This revealed no relation between the risk of acoustic neuroma and the number of years for which the mobile phones had been used, the time since first use, total hours of use or total number of calls. Nor was there any link with analogue or digital phones or whether or not a hands free kit was used.

On balance, the evidence suggests that there is no substantial risk of acoustic neuroma in the first decade of use, but the possibility of some effect after longer periods remains open, the researchers concluded.�

It is interesting that the British study was based on 678 AN patients while the Swedish Institute only surveyed 150 AN patients.

 

If you want to read the whole thing, the new study is reported by various news agencies, including the BBC, here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4196762.stm , and the Swedish study of last year is reported here: http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/medizin_gesundheit/bericht-34781.html .

 

[Mark]

As a follow up to Raydean's post, here is the cell phone study article from Yahoo

Mark

No brain cancer link to mobile phones, study says

Tue Aug 30, 1:11 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Ten years of using a mobile phone results in no increased risk of a tumour in the nerve connecting the ear to the brain, researchers said on Tuesday.
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But amid public concern about a possible link, the scientists who conducted the largest study so far on the subject said they could not rule out a higher risk over a longer period.

"The results of our study suggest there is no substantial risk in the first decade after starting use," said Anthony Swerdlow of the Institute of Cancer Research.

"Whether there are longer-term risks remains unknown, reflecting the fact that this is a relatively recent technology."

The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, focused on the risk of acoustic neuroma, benign tumors which grow in the nerve connecting the ear and inner ear to the brain, close to where handsets are held.

Research has also investigated the possible association of other kinds of brain tumour with mobile phones but scientists say acoustic neuroma would be a prime candidate to be affected.

Previous independent studies have found mobile phone radiation may have some effect on the human body, such as heating up the brain and causing headaches and nausea.

But no study that could be independently repeated has proved mobile phones have permanent harmful effects and the mobile phone industry argues there is no conclusive evidence that electromagnetic radiation causes harm.

About 780 million mobile phones are expected to be sold this year, and nearly 2 billion people around the world use one.

The institute's analysis pooled studies conducted in Britain, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden -- all countries where mobile phones were introduced early.

Cancer charities welcomed the findings.

"However, it's important researchers continue to monitor phone users over coming years as mobiles are still a relatively new invention," said Cancer Research UK's Julie Sharp.