ID Number		1164
Study Type		Epidemiology
Model		Mobile phone exposure and correlations with brain tumors - META analysis of prior studies and assessment of mobile phone use.
Details		Review and meta analysis of current RF bioeffects research and authors conclusions. With regard to epidemiologic studies, the authors report that despite methodological shortcomings, "all studies approaching reasonable latencies found an increased cancer risk associated with mobile phone use" and suggest that mobile phone technology has not been in use long enough to allow epidemiologic studies to address cancer induction. The initial review specifically addresses epidemiologic studies by Rothmann and Dreyer 1999; Hardell 1999, 2000, 2001; Muscat 2000; Inskip 2001; Stang 2001; Johansen 2001; Auvinen 2002; Muscat 2002; and Hardell 2002. The authors also suggest that "animal models that lead to a steep and fast decrease of survival are not suited for the study of EMF" because it appears to be a slow acting epigenetic agent. The conclusions of the review are that low-level long-term RF exposure may be a significant human health risk. In a study of public perception of mobile phone and tower risks, volunteers (mobile phone users vs. non mobile users) were questioned and compared on their perception of risk to base station RF emissions. The authors report people perceive possible mobile base station health risk as comparable to smoking, air travel and vehicle exhaust. There were no age or sex related differences in a general feeling of uncertainty over possible health effects. In a subsequent meta analysis (2008), the author includes 25 epidemiologic studies of brain tumor incidence and mobile phone use, including many of the recently reported Interphone site studies. The author reports for 10+ years of mobile phone use an OR of 1.5 (95% CI = 1.2-1.8) for glioma based on Hardell 2006, Lahkola 2007, Schuz 2006, an OR of 1.3 (95% CI = 0.95-1.9) for acoustic neuroma based upon Hardell 2006, Schoemaker 2005, and an OR of 1.1 (95% CI = 0.8-1.4) for meningioma based upon Hardell 2006 and Schuz 2006. The author concludes that long term mobile phone use has "an association that is of moderate strength and in the range delineated for passive smoking and lung cancer." Kundi also describes many shortcomings in the study design of the various epidemiologic studies including the exposure assessment, bias, and lack of characterizing other RF exposure sources. AUTHORS' ABSTRACT: Hutter et al. 2012 (IEEE #5382): In epidemiological studies, cases cannot always be interviewed due to them being too ill or already deceased. Under these circumstances, proxy interviews are often conducted; however, the veridicality of information about mobile phone use gained by proxy interviews has been doubted. The issue is undecided due to the lack of empirical data. We conducted a study of 119 heterosexual couples. Both partners answered two questionnaires about mobile phone use, one about their own use and one about their partner's use. Overall agreement assessed using Cohen's kappa, Passing and Bablok regression, and concordance coefficients between self and proxy data was poor to moderate (e.g., concordance coefficients of 0.55 for duration of use). The only item with good agreement was whether or not a prepaid phone was used (Cohen's kappa 0.78 and 0.63 for male and female estimates, respectively), and to a lesser degree, the onset of mobile phone use (concordance coefficients of 0.66 and 0.61). Poorest agreement was obtained for the side of the head the mobile phone was held during calls (kappa coefficients of 0.20 and 0.24 for female and male estimates, respectively). We conclude that the assessment of mobile phone use by proxy data cannot be relied on except for information about onset of mobile phone use, use of prepaid or contract phones, and, to a lesser degree, duration of daily use. Agreement concerning the important information about side of the head the mobile phone is held during calls was poorest and only slightly better than chance.
Findings		Effects
Status		Completed With Publication
Principal Investigator		University of Vienna, Austria - Kundi@univie.ac.at
Funding Agency		Private/Instit.
Country		AUSTRIA
References		Kundi, M Environ Health Persp., (2009) 117:316-324 Kundi, M Cien Saude Colet., (2007) 12:419-428 Kundi, M Environ Health Perspect., (2006) 114:969-974 Kundi , M et al. J Toxicol. Environment Health, (2004) 7:351-384 Hutter , HP et al. Soz. Praventivmed, (2004) 49:62-66 Kundi, M Occup Environ Med., (2004) 61:560-570 Hutter , HP et al. Bioelectromagnetics, (2012) 33:561-567 Kundi , M BMJ ((http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e1147?tab=responses), (March 17, 2012) :- Kundi, M Environmental health perspectives., (2005) 113:A151-
Comments		These conclusions are in direct contrast with those by Moulder 1999, the Royal Society of Canada 1999, UK IEGMP 2000, Rothmann 2000, Krewski (Health Canada) 2001, the Health Council of the Netherlands 2002, and the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute (SSI) by Boice and McLaughlin 2002 that conclude the "evidence for a relationship between the use of cellular telephones and cancer is weak to nonexistent".