Do cell phones REALLY cause cancer?
With cellphones, the most ubiquitous electronic device on the planet, being marketed to children as young as 6, the notion that cell phones can cause cancer is scary.
Is it true that these small, convenient devices can give you tumors? Studies say yes, according to Dr. Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, and Dr. David Carpenter, director of Institute for Health and the Environment at University of Albany when they both recently testified in front of the House Subcommittee on Domestic Policy.
Citing a study performed by Dr. Lennart Hardell in Sweden, Herberman said, “I cannot tell this committee that cell phones are definitely dangerous. But, I certainly cannot tell you that they are safe.”
The study reports that people who use cell phones have double the chance of developing malignant brain tumors and tumors on the hearing nerve (called acoustic nueromas). The study also says that people under 20 were five times more likely to develop brain cancer.
However, some doctors believe that more evidence is needed for a more conclusive connection. Some studies have not found an increase in tumors associated with the first 10 years of cell phone use, and studies on the increased risk of tumors diagnosed on the side of the head the cell phone is used have not given consistent results. Many studies have shown that radio frequency energy DOES cause “biological effects,” not all of these effects are considered harmful. These effects could be related to a cancer risk, but they have not yet been properly studied in a laboratory.
While the current studies do not have enough conclusive results to prove that cell phones cause cancer, heavy users should keep these thoughts in mind.