There has been a long-standing concern about the potential link between cell phones and brain cancer due to the electromagnetic radiation they emit and how closely they are held to the head. However, a comprehensive review spanning 28 years of research has now concluded that there is no connection between cell phone use and cancer.
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Past studies and research reviews have consistently failed to find scientific evidence supporting a causal relationship between mobile phone use and cancer. However, a study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2011 raised concerns by classifying radiofrequency electromagnetic fields associated with wireless phone use as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” This study pointed to an increased risk for glioma, a type of brain cancer.
Contrary to these fears, the latest research review, published in the journal Environment International has found no overall association between mobile phone use and brain cancer or any other head and neck cancer, even with prolonged use.
Researchers also reassured that children exposed to cell phone towers or other transmitters did not face an increased risk of brain cancer or leukemia, providing a sense of relief amidst the growing concerns regarding wireless technology.
“These findings are extremely comforting,” stated Ken Karipidis, one of the lead authors of the review, emphasizing that despite the surge in cell phone usage, there has not been a corresponding rise in brain cancer cases.
As part of a research team commissioned by the World Health Organization, Karipidis, who works for the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, examined over 5,000 studies and focused on 63 publications between 1994 and 2022, making this the most extensive analysis of radio wave exposure related to wireless technology to date.