Study Finds No Cancer Link To Mobile Phone Use

NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- Mobile phone use doesn't lead to a greater risk of brain cancer, a study by the British Medical Journal revealed, according to a report on the BBC News Web site Friday.

The latest study is the largest of its kind on the issue, the BBC said.

The study of 2,782 people across the UK found no link between the risk of glioma - the most common type of brain tumor - and length of mobile use, according to the online report.

Among cancer sufferers, the tumors were more likely to be reported on the side of the head where they held the phone. But the study said people over-reported phone use on the side their cancer developed, the report said.

The research, which was carried out by the British arm of an international project called Interphone, reiterates the findings of most earlier studies in saying that there is no connection between cancer and mobile phone use, the BBC reported.

The study involved 966 people diagnosed with glioma and 1,716 without the condition in five areas of the U.K., BBC said. All 2,783 were interviewed about their history of mobile phone use over the previous 10 years.

The research team, however, didn't put this down to a causal link, because almost exactly the same decreased risk was seen on the other side of the head, leaving no overall increase risk of tumors for mobile phone users.

Instead, they blamed biased reporting from brain tumor sufferers who knew what side of the head their tumors were on.

Another research team member, Professor Anthony Swerdlow of the Institute of Cancer Research, said: "It would be very misleading to the public to say that because there was a positive that this (mobile phones) causes brain tumors."

He explained: "If we had found a raised risk overall and it was all coming from one side, I would believe there was a real case. But as there is a drop on the opposing side - the overall risk is not raised. That makes it rather unlikely that there is a raised risk."

The National Radiological Protection Board said the research was good news, but that it didn't give mobile phones a clean bill of health, the report said. The board said it wouldn't be changing its advice that children shouldn't make unnecessary mobile phone calls, the report said.

Wendy Fulcher, who founded the Brain Tumor Research Campaign, said she hoped people would be finally reassured by the results of the research, the BBC said.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires "

Posted to the site on 21st January 2006