Mobile phones are becoming the necessity today. Almost every person on this planet uses this technology to connect with their friends, family and the whole world, But this amazing technology also comes with some side effects.
'The electromagnetic fields generated by the mobile phones can act as carcinogens'
Cancer has become a life threatening problem. Researchers and physicians work up to their neck to find the cause and suitable treatment to tackle this problem of abnormal cells. Undoubtedly, today the technology has helped significantly and cancer therapeutics have reached a state where you can find effective treatment of many tumor cells. Brain tumor treatment has also improved from the past.
But, the causes behind cancer still needs to cover miles. There are some of the risks which are proven. For instance, alcohol, smoking, obesity, diet, pollution and harmful sun rays. But the causes like plastics, mobile phones and cosmetics have still unclear studies and pieces of evidence.
Talking about short-term effects of these devices on human health, tissue heating is the major impact of using cell phones. Other than this, a significant impact of phones on the central nervous system, cognitive function, heart rate, brain electrical activity (brain tissues), sleep and blood pressure has been seen. Talking about brain cancer, there is hardly any clear association.
So, what is the reality? Are mobile phones really behind causing brain tumors? Let's take a look:
As we all know the wireless cell phones or smartphones work via channels of radiofrequencies. These radiofrequency waves are electromagnetic fields. Mobile phones work through these, which transmit through the network of fixed antennas we can see in our surroundings.
These waves can absorb the skin tissues during the time you are using the phone. However, the amount of radio frequencies energies a mobile user coming in contact with depends upon many factors like phone technology, extent and type of phone you are using, distance between the user and phone and distance of user from the mobile towers.
Radio Frequencies emit by mobile phones:
Phones generally transmit low-powered radio frequencies (450 to 2700 megahertz [MHz]), which only transmit when the phone is turned on. The old phones which work on analog technology are known to emit only about 800 to 900 MHz. But, with the advancement in technology, phones utilize higher frequencies (ranging upto 2200 MHz or more).
But, can these frequencies cause brain tumors? Let's explore what studies say about this:
According to a research done in 2006 upon 2,500 people, mobile phone use has no link with one of types of brain tumors, Glioma. This is one of the most common types of brain tumor. This cancer starts within glial cells that present around the nerve cells.
In Danish study, which was conducted for about 21 years and involved over 400,000 people also found no association between mobile phones and brain tumor.
A MTHR (Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research) programme was also found with no short-term link between brain tumor and phones.
However, according to an international pooled analysis, The users who limit their use of phones have the highest 10% of cumulative hours found to have higher risk of Glioma.
Further, according to Myung et al.’s meta-analysis of 23 case-control studies, long-term use of phones (10 years or more) showed a significant connection with enhanced risk of tumors.
Khurana et al.also showed that use of phones for 10 or more years doubled the risk of brain tumors.
Based on many such evidences, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified these radio frequencies emitting from the phones carcinogenic to humans
Therefore, always keep yourself at the safe distance from phones while using them. Also make a safest distant from the antennas and use all protections to protect yourself from these rays. As these tumors can be benign or malignant and can exert a seriously negative impact on the brain and spinal cord. Further, the primary brain tumor can spread to other parts of the body.
Do you also know that blue light emitted by phones can also cause cancer? Read here to know more 'Association between Blue Light and Development of Uveal Melanoma'.
Also keep yourself updated and know regarding new treatments approved for breast cancer, advanced prostate cancer, thyroid and lung cancers.