Trends in Malignant and Benign Brain Tumor Incidence and Mobile Phone Use in the U.S. (2000-2021): A SEER-Based Study

Abstract

Overview

There has been an ongoing concern for several decades that radiofrequencies emitted from mobile phones are related to brain cancer risks. This study investigates temporal trends in both malignant and benign brain tumor incidence rates among adults and children in the U.S., comparing these against trends in mobile phone subscriptions.

Methods

• Utilized Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER 22) cancer database spanning 2000 to 2021.
• Calculated age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) per 100,000 people.
• Assessed annual percentage change (APC) for malignant and benign brain cancers and vestibular schwannomas (acoustic neuromas of the 8th cranial nerve).
• Plotted the total number of mobile phone subscriptions in the United States for 1985-2024.

Findings

• APC for malignant tumors in adolescents and adults was -0.6 (p = 0.0004).
• APC for temporal lobe tumors was -0.06 (p = 0.551).
• APC for benign tumors was 1.9 (p = 0.00003), reflecting a measurable increase over time.
• APC for benign acoustic neuroma was 0.09 (p = 0.8237), suggesting no association with mobile phone use for this specific tumor type.
• During the study period, cell phone subscriptions increased 1,200-fold.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that mobile phone use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of brain cancer, whether malignant or benign, based on U.S. population-based data. Continued surveillance is recommended, given the notable increases in incidence rates for certain benign tumors and the long latency period potentially associated with tumor development.