Mobile phones don`t cause brain cancer, latest study suggests

Zee Media Bureau

Melbourne: Amid concerns over possibility of a connection between cellphones and brain tumous, a new study has denied the claims and stressed that mobile phone use does not appear to be linked to brain cancer.

Researchers from University of Sydney claimed that they found no rise in tumours over 30 years in Australia despite widespread use of the devices.

There were significant increases in brain cancer incidence only in those aged 70 years or more, researchers said.

But the increase in incidence in this age group began from 1982, before the introduction of mobile phones in 1987 and so could not be explained by it. The most likely explanation of the rise in this older age group was improved diagnosis, they said.

For the study, researchers examined the association between age and gender-specific incidence rates of 19,858 men and 14,222 women diagnosed with brain cancer in Australia between 1982-2012, and national mobile phone usage data from 1987-2012.

"Mobile phones produce non-ionising radiation which is low energy, sufficient only to 'excite' the electrons enough to make them just heat up," said Simon Chapman from University of Sydney.

The findings were published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology.

(With PTI inputs)