Time trends in mobile phone use and glioma incidence among males in the Nordic Countries, 1979-2016

Abstract

Overview

In the Nordic countries, the use of mobile phones surged notably from the mid-1990s, particularly among middle-aged males. This study aimed to determine if the observed increase in the incidence of glioma in males aged 40-69 years, paralleled this rise in mobile phone usage, thereby evaluating the possible health risks from electromagnetic fields associated with mobiles.

Methods

• The study analyzed glioma incidence rates (IR) in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden among men aged 40-69 years from 1979 to 2016.
• Data was sourced from national cancer registries and population statistics.
• Log-linear joinpoint analysis was employed to examine the trends.

Findings

• Analyzed 18,232 glioma cases collected over 162 million person-years.
• IRs increased slightly at 0.1% annually for ages 40–59 and at 0.6% annually for ages 60-69.
• These increments in IRs were incompatible with the higher risk ratios derived from earlier studies, suggesting no substantial risk from mobile phone use.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that the trends in glioma incidence among men in the Nordic countries do not support the hypothesis that mobile phone use is linked to increased glioma risks, supporting the understanding derived from cohort studies over case-control studies that suggested biases.