Can Cell Phones Cause Brain Cancer?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published a large-scale review that found no connection between cell phone use and an increased risk of developing brain cancer, even for those people glued to their cell phones the most.

“Though no such review is perfect, these findings are meaningful enough that people should feel it’s safe to use their cell phones,” says Herbert Newton, MD, FAAN, a neuro-oncologist and the Medical Director of the Brain Tumor Center at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center.

Why Was There a Concern in the First Place?

Radio waves, also known as radio frequency (RF) radiation, are all around you, all the time. Cell phones, mobile phone towers, Wi-Fi connections, radio and TV transmissions, GPS systems, baby monitors, and other wireless electronics and communications equipment all give off RF radiation. While other types of radiation can damage your cells so that they form cancerous tumors, RF radiation is generally not thought to be harmful to people.

“However, because we hold mobile phones so close to our heads when making calls, the concern has been that prolonged close exposure of our heads and necks to cell phone radiation might cause tumors to develop over time,” says Dr. Newton.

What Did the Research Say?

In the WHO’s review, experts reviewed over 5,000 studies that looked into the potential link between exposure to the radiation emitted by wireless electronic devices and increased risk of developing head and neck cancers. The reviewers found this risk did not increase, even for cell phone users who:

• Used their cell phones for the longest periods of time (10 years or more).
• Spent the most time on their cell phones.
• Made the most calls on their cell phones.

The researchers also found that cell towers – the tall structures that receive and send calls and text messages across the world using RF radiation – did not put people at a higher risk for developing brain tumors or other types of head and neck cancers.

“In the studies done in the last two decades, probably the strongest possible evidence showing a link between cell phones and increased brain cancer risk was for certain noncancerous brain tumors. But even with those tumor types, the latest review found no increased risk,” says Dr. Newton.

Good News, but More Information Is Needed

Dr. Newton says that while he is pleased with the WHO’s review, more research is needed. He emphasizes the importance of continued monitoring of the potential link between cell phone use and brain cancer over time, because the current data only covers a period of just over 20 years. That information can’t tell us, for example, if 30 years of cell phone use might increase a person’s risk of developing brain cancer.

“Nevertheless, we should all be happy with the results of this review,” he says. “I’m glad to be able to tell patients that, as of right now, we see no link between cell phone use and brain cancer.”

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Patients with cancer of the brain or nervous system can expect personalized care from the experienced physicians at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. The experts within our Neuro-Oncology Program are armed with the most powerful, advanced technologies to combat tumors in adults and children.