A new review by the World Health Organization (WHO) has found no evidence to suggest that mobile phone use causes brain cancer. The review included research from 22 different countries and concluded that there is no link between mobile phone use, workplace radio frequency electromagnetic field transmission equipment, cell towers, and brain and pituitary cancers or leukemia in both adults and children. Despite previous classifications by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that labeled mobile phones as “possibly carcinogenic,” the new review does not support this.
The WHO review is a meta-analysis of 63 articles published between 1994 and 2022 that investigated the effects of exposure to radio frequency-electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by mobile phones and other devices. It found no correlation between mobile phone use and an increased risk of gliomas, meningiomas, acoustic neuromas, pituitary and salivary cancers, or leukemia. Mobile phones emit low-powered RF-EMF signals to transmit radio waves through cell towers, but the review suggests that these fields are benign and cannot cause harm to human DNA.
The review also found that exposure to fixed-site RF-EMF transmitters, such as broadcasting antennas or cell phone towers, was not linked to childhood leukemia or pediatric brain tumors. Similarly, workplace RF-EMF transmitters were not associated with an increased risk of gliomas. The quality of the conclusions drawn by the studies included in the review was described as being of low-to-moderate certainty due to the nature of observational research and ethical considerations for human experimentation.
Despite the limitations of observational studies, the body of research consistently pointed towards no significant association between RF-EMF exposure and brain cancer. The review emphasizes the importance of continuing research to ensure that radio wave exposure from evolving technologies remains safe. The findings of the review align with preliminary findings from the Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Use and Health (COSMOS) project, which did not find an increased risk of developing brain tumors among heavy mobile phone users compared to light users.
While workplace exposure to RF-EMF may pose a greater risk due to higher intensity and duration of exposure, studies have not demonstrated a significantly different health impact, including an increased risk of brain cancer or other neoplasms associated with occupational RF-EMF exposure. Despite the need for further research to fully understand the potential health impacts of RF-EMF exposure, the current evidence does not support a link between mobile phone use and brain cancer. It is essential to continue monitoring and minimizing exposure to RF-EMF in various environments to ensure public safety and well-being.
