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brain cancer) or acoustic neuroma (a benign tumor of the nerve
sheath). No statistically significant association was found between
mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma. There was also no
association between mobile phone use and gliomas when all types of
types of gliomas were considered together. It should be noted that
the average length of mobile phone exposure in this study was less
than three years.
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 possible 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 structural effects on the
genetic material. The cells in this assay showed changes after
exposure to simulated cell phone radiation, but only after 24 hours of
exposure. It is possible that exposing the test cells to radiation for this
long resulted in heating. 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 necessary.
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
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