No, Your Cellphone Won’t Give You Cancer
Making those calls on your cellphone are safe, at least when it comes to the risk of brain cancer. That’s according to a new study by the World Health Organization and its review of available published evidence from around the world.
As wireless technology has sprouted up around the planet, there has not been a corresponding increase in the incidence of brain cancers. This includes people who spend a long time on the phone and those who have used a cellphone for more than the last decade.
The final analysis included 63 studies from 1994-2022, assessed by 11 investigators from 10 countries. Those findings may provide a sense of relief for many, but experts are not surprised.
“There has not ever been any clear evidence to associate glioblastoma formation with cellphone usage,” said James Liu, MD, a neurosurgeon at Moffitt Cancer Center.
In fact, Lui says that it’s rare for patients to ask about any link between brain cancers and wireless technology like cellphones and Wi-Fi.
“Oftentimes, when they are diagnosed with a primary brain tumor, whether malignant like glioblastoma or a benign tumor, patients ask if it was caused by head trauma, diet, medications, lifestyle or occupational exposure,” Liu said. “Usually none of those factors are involved in the development of brain tumors.”
The exact cause of brain tumors like glioblastoma are difficult to find and more research is being done in that field. According to Peter Forsyth, MD, chair of Moffitt’s Neuro-Oncology Department, detecting tumors earlier is the key to successful treatment.
“We are working to try to develop easier tools that can help us identify these tumors earlier and that will make it much easier for people to undergo screening,” Forsyth said.
According to Liu, the best thing a patient can do is seek medical attention if they experience persistent headaches that are uncharacteristic of a regular headache. Talking to a primary care physician about this concern is an important first step.
“Their physician will be able to assess the patient’s neurological function to determine if there are any indications for advanced brain imaging,” Liu said. “If the patient develops any symptoms that may resemble having a stroke, like slurred speech, vision changes or weakness on one side of the body, they should see a physician immediately or go to the nearest emergency room.”
