Abstract

Overview

The association between cellphone technology and the incidence of brain, central nervous system (CNS), and intracranial tumors from 1990 to 2015 in Israel—an era marked by a significant rise in cellphone usage—is explored in this study.

Background

• Concerns have grown due to the exponential increase in cellphone use and the potential risks for brain and CNS tumors.
• This study aims to analyze the trends in the incidence of primary tumors in these areas using data from the Israel National Cancer Registry.

Methods

All diagnosed cases of primary brain, CNS, and intracranial tumors (excluding lymphomas) between 1990 and 2015 were categorized by behavior and histologic type, with incidents further analyzed by sex and population group using age-standardized rates and Joinpoint software.

Results

• Over the 26-year study period, there are no significant changes in the incidence of malignant tumors except in specific subgroups.
• Increases in benign and uncertain behavior tumors were noted up to the mid-2000s but either declined or stabilized afterwards.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that changes in cellphone usage patterns in Israel do not correlate with overall cancer trends in the population. However, the potential for smaller, subgroup-specific risks cannot be ruled out, emphasizing the need for further targeted research.

Recommendation: Application of the precautionary principle is recommended to manage potential yet unconfirmed risks.