[bwna] Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds NO brain tumor risk for cell phones
Jim Karlock
jkarlock at gmail.com
Sun Dec 6 22:07:11 MST 2009
This study was of a very large population and
published in a credible journal, not some advocatory web site(s):
(http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/djp415)
Journal of the National Cancer Institute Advance
Access published online on December 3, 2009
JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute, doi:10.1093/jnci/djp415
Time Trends in Brain Tumor Incidence Rates in
Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, 1974–2003
Isabelle Deltour, Christoffer Johansen, Anssi
Auvinen, Maria Feychting, Lars Klaeboe, Joachim Schüz
Affiliations of authors: Institute of Cancer
Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen,
Denmark (ID, CJ, JS); Tampere School of Public
Health, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
(AA); Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority,
Helsinki, Finland (AA); Institute of
Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet,
Stockholm, Sweden (MF); Norwegian Radiation
Protection Authority, Norway and Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway (LK)
In Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, the use
of mobile phones increased sharply in the
mid-1990s; thus, time trends in brain tumor
incidence after 1998 may provide information
about possible tumor risks associated with mobile
phone use. We investigated time trends in the
incidence of glioma and meningioma in Denmark,
Finland, Norway, and Sweden from 1974 to 2003,
using data from national cancer registries. We
used joinpoint regression models to analyze the
annual incidence rates of glioma and meningioma.
During this period, 59 984 men and women aged
20–79 years were diagnosed with brain tumors in a
population of 16 million adults. All statistical
tests were two-sided. From 1974 to 2003, the
incidence rate of glioma increased by 0.5% per
year (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.2% to
0.8%) among men and by 0.2% per year (95% CI =
–0.1% to 0.5%) among women and that of meningioma
increased by 0.8% per year (95% CI = 0.4% to
1.3%) among men, and after the early 1990s, by
3.8% per year (95% CI = 3.2% to 4.4%) among
women. No change in incidence trends were
observed from 1998 to 2003, the time when
possible associations between mobile phone use
and cancer risk would be informative about an induction period of 5–10 years.
-------------------
CONTEXT AND CAVEATS
Prior knowledge
Although mobile phone use has frequently been
proposed as a risk factor for brain tumors,
neither a biological mechanism to explain this
association nor the etiology of brain tumors is
known. Mobile phone use in Denmark, Finland,
Norway, and Sweden increased sharply in the mid-1990s.
Study design
An investigation of time trends in the incidence
of glioma and meningioma among adults from 1974
to 2003 in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden
using data from national cancer registries.
Contribution
From 1974 to 2003, brain tumor incidence rates in
Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden were stable,
decreased, or continued a gradual increase that
started before the introduction of mobile phones.
No change in incidence trends was observed from
1998 to 2003, the time when possible associations
between mobile phone use and cancer risk would be
informative about an induction period of 5–10 years.
Implications
The lack of a trend change in incidence from 1998
to 2003 suggests that the induction period
relating mobile phone use to brain tumors exceeds
5–10 years, the increased risk in this population
is too small to be observed, the increased risk
is restricted to subgroups of brain tumors or
mobile phone users, or there is no increased risk.
Limitations
Possible incompleteness of cancer registration
and the increased access to improved diagnostic
tools may limit the interpretation of the trends
in meningioma incidence over time.
From the Editors
At 08:33 PM 12/6/2009, A. Trudeau wrote:
> All-
>As I understand it, the community meeting on
>Monday with Clearwire at Beaumont High School
>regards some cellphone apparatus installation at
>37th and Freemont Last Friday BWNA President,.
>Al, sent out an email with some information on the meeting.
>
>I have just begun to research the health effects
>of living near cell phone or other wireless
>towers. This article describes some of the
>negative health effects. It is from the
>Bioinitiative group. Perhaps Clearwire plans to
>install a piece of the Wi-Max network there as described below.
>
>A previous post on this listserve asserted that
>cell phones have been proven to be safe. My
>understanding is that most of the studies about
>that have been funded by the cell phone
>companies themselves and cannot be considered unbiased.
>
>Again, Al will you please post any more details
>you have on the Clearwire project and tell us
>what time the meeting is on Monday?
>
>Thanks.
>Anne Trudeau
>
>
>Wi-Max to Blanket America in Microwave Radiation
>
>
>
>Millions of Sensitive People May Have Difficulty
>
>In May 2008 USA Today reported Sprint and
>Clearwire plan to “blanket the USA with
>Wi-Max, turning the nation into one big
>hotspot.†Google, Intel, Comcast and Time
>Warner Cable are reported to be large investors.
>“The Wi-Max network is expected to reach about
>half the U.S. population by the end of 2010”, said the report.
>While putting high-powered Wi-Max antennas in
>residential and commercial neighborhoods may be
>good for consumers in terms of internet speed
>and access, there is serious and growing concern
>among scientists about the effects of this 24/7
>exposure to microwave radiation. The
>BioInitiative Report
>(<http://www.bioinitiative.org/>www.BioInitiative.org),
>a large review of over 2,000 studies on the
>known biological effects of electromagnetic
>radiation shows impacts from RF on the immune
>function, the neurological system, inflammation,
>stress proteins, behavioral functioning, etc.,
>at levels of exposure way lower that current FCC
>exposure guidelines for industry. Based on the
>existing body of science on the effects of RF
>radiation, grave concern is thus being now
>raised by scientists about the planned chronic
>exposure in the U.S. to these frequencies.
>
>
>An estimated 10 million people in the U.S., or
>3% of the population is already estimated to be
>electrically sensitive to a degree which
>significantly impairs their ability to function
>productively in society, including in the
>workplace. An additional 100mm people, or 35% of
>the population, are estimated to be moderately
>electrically sensitive. These numbers are
>projected to increase dramatically with
>ubiquitous exposure to 24/7 high-powered Wi-Max.
>For the many people who are already electrically
>sensitive there will be nowhere to avoid the
>very often debilitating symptoms that occur for them in wi-fi environments.
>
>Please read the attached letter from Dr. Olle
>Johannson of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden
>in response to an article by The Economist on
>electrical hypersensitivity for background on
>what is happening to people in the Scandinavian
>countries.
><http://electromagnetichealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/carr_geoffrey2008-10-01-2.doc>Electrosensitivity
>Letter.
>
>
>As we learned with cell phones on which there
>was no pre-market health testing required by
>government, citizens and the media must question
>the wisdom of new technologies such as Wi-Max
>before they are launched widely into society,
>and not assume our government has evaluated them thoroughly.
>
>Questions the media might be asking about Wi-Max
>on behalf of citizens of the United States include:
>
>What pre-market health testing has been done on Wi-Max?
>
>What environmental studies have been done on the
>effects of microwave radiation on animals, such
>as birds, bee colonies, insects, domestic
>animals, as well as on nature such as trees?
>What is government expecting the effects of nationwide Wi-Max to be on nature?
>
>Have members of Congress read the BioInitiative
>Report
>(<http://www.bioinitiative.org/>www.bioinitiative.org),
>including a review of the science on the known
>biological effects of radiofrequency radiation?
>
>Does Congress understand the science on the
>effects of electromagnetic radiation on the
>brain? Do they realize microwave radiation
>impacts fertility and DNA, and effects fetuses,
>children and teenagers, including potentially
>leading to significantly increased emotional
>problems in children whose mothers were exposed
>to microwave radiation by using cell phones in pregnancy?
>
>Do they understand the potential connection with
>the illnesses of our times and their costs? Or with productivity and learning?
>
>Do they understand insomnia is one of the
>firstsymptoms of electrical sensitivity -and
>that today 65% of Americans already have a sleep
>disorder? What is expected to happen with sleep
>disorders in 24/7 Wi-Max exposure?
>
>Have they heard that the National Library of
>France has recently dismantled wireless,
>exercising the precautionary principle because
>of the health concerns? Or that Paris’ library
>system also dismantled wireless after 40% of
>their staff became ill? Or that the union chief
>of a 38,000 teachers union in the U.K. is
>advocating wi-fi be removed from schools, and
>that an entire Canadian university has dismantled it?
>
>Have they heard that some other countries are
>advising no wi-fi in residential neighborhoods?
>
>Have they heard that the European Parliament
>just recently voted 522 to 16 to exercise
>greater precaution regarding electromagnetic
>radiation, calling exposure guidelines ‘obsolete’?
>
>Have they estimated what the effects of this
>constant, invisible electropolluting background
>stressor will do to interpersonal relations and
>the mental health of people of all ages-infants,
>children, adolescents, adults and the elderly?
>
>Have they contemplated the effects of an
>increased level of microwave exposure on car
>accidents? On crime? On demand for social services?
>
>Do they understand that independent scientists
>believe there is evidence linking microwave
>radiation to genetic effects, cancer,
>cellular/molecular effects, electrophysiology
>changes, behavioral changes, nervous system
>impairment, blood-brain barrier permeability,
>calcium efflux, cardiovascular changes, hormonal
>disruption, immune system changes, metabolic
>changes, fertility impairment and much more?
>
>Do they realize nationwide roll out of 24/7
>Wi-Max may result in social unrest because many
>will not be able to tolerate it, or that people
>will be highly disturbed realizing their health challenges may be related?
>Is the government planning to create refugee
>communities for electrically sensitive people
>who can’t cope in high Wi-Fi Environments?
>
>
>For journalists wanting more information on the
>science showing biological effects from ELF and
>RF radiation, please see the BioInitiative
>Report
>(<http://www.bioinitiative.org/>www.bioinitiative.org)
>or contact <mailto:info at bioinitiative.org>info at bioinitiative.org
>
>
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