Worried About Cancer From Mobile Phone Use? Scientists Say You Shouldn’t Be.

As people spend more and more time with their smartphones, there’s plenty of speculation regarding how that exposure could have negative physical and psychological consequences. But one concern that has been expressed since the earliest days of mobile phones has now been all but disproven.

A wide-ranging study

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency has been involved in the scientific examination of thousands of studies seeking to identify what, if any, cancer risks are associated with the use of mobile phones. The team selected the 63 most reliable studies to compile a new report that lead author Ken Karipidis called “the most comprehensive review to date” on this nagging issue.

Regardless of how many phone calls individuals made or how much time they spent on their devices, Karipidis said the report concluded that there was no apparent correlation “between mobile phones and brain cancer or other head and neck cancers.”

In addition to the mountain of evidence contained in the studies his team reviewed, he said the steep increase in the popularity of these devices has also helped confirm the validity of the team’s findings.

“I’m quite confident with our conclusion,” he said. “And what makes us quite confident is … even though mobile phone use has skyrocketed, brain tumor rates have remained stable.”

Understandable concern

Even though the evidence shows no link between phones and cancer, Karipidis acknowledged that it makes sense for people to be worried about the impact of these radiation-emitting devices.

“And because we use a mobile phone close to the head when we’re making calls, there is a lot of concern,” he said.

His team is now set to conduct further research into potential links between mobile phone use and other types of cancer including leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Chris Agee September 4th, 2024

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