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When 20 types of glioma were considered separately, however,
an association was found between mobile phone use and one
rare type of glioma, neuroepithelliomatous tumors. It is possi-
ble with multiple comparisons of the same sample that this
association occurred by chance. Moreover, the risk did not
increase with how often the mobile phone was used, or the
length of the calls. In fact, the risk actually decreased with
cumulative hours of mobile phone use. Most cancer causing
agents increase risk with increased exposure. An ongoing study
of brain cancers by the National Cancer Institute is expected to
bear on the accuracy and repeatability of these results.
2.
Researchers conducted a large battery of laboratory tests to
assess the effects of exposure to mobile phone RF on genetic
material. These included tests for several kinds of abnormalities,
including mutations, chromosomal aberrations, DNA strand
breaks, and structural changes in the genetic material of blood
cells called lymphocytes. None of the tests showed any effect of
the RF except for the micronucleus assay, which detects struc-
tural effects on the genetic material. The cells in this assay
showed changes after exposure to simulated cell phone radia-
tion, but only after 24 hours of exposure. It is possible that
exposing the test cells to radiation for this long resulted in heat-
ing. Since this assay is known to be sensitive to heating, heat
alone could have caused the abnormalities to occur. The data
already in the literature on the response of the micronucleus
assay to RF are conflicting. Thus, follow-up research is neces-
2
sary.
FDA is currently working with government, industry, and
academic groups to ensure the proper follow-up to these
industry-funded research findings. Collaboration with the
Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) in
particular is expected to lead to FDA providing research rec-
ommendations and scientific oversight of new CTIA-funded
research based on such recommendations.
1.
Muscat et al. Epidemiological Study of Cellular
Telephone Use and Malignant Brain Tumors.
In: State of the Science Symposium;1999 June
20; Long Beach, California.
2.
Tice et al. Tests of mobile phone signals for
activity in genotoxicity and other laboratory
assays. In: Annual Meeting of the
Environmental Mutagen Society; March 29,
1999, Washington, D.C.; and personal
communication, unpublished results.
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1
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