Mobile phone use and brain tumour risk - COSMOS, a prospective cohort study

Authors: Feychting M, Schüz J, Toledano MB, Vermeulen R, Auvinen A, Poulsen AH, Deltour I, Smith RB, Heller J, Kromhout H, Huss A, Johansen C, Tettamanti G, Elliott P

Year: 2024

Category: Epidemiology

Journal: Environment International

DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108552

URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024001387

Abstract

Background

Each new generation of mobile phone technology has triggered discussions about potential carcinogenicity from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). Available evidence has been insufficient to conclude about long-term and heavy mobile phone use, limited by differential recall and selection bias, or crude exposure assessment. The Cohort Study on Mobile Phones and Health (COSMOS) was specifically designed to overcome these shortcomings.

Methods

  • Participants were recruited in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK from 2007 to 2012.
  • The baseline questionnaire assessed the lifetime history of mobile phone use.
  • Follow-up was conducted through population-based cancer registers to identify cases of glioma, meningioma, and acoustic neuroma.
  • Non-differential exposure misclassification was addressed by adjusting estimates of mobile phone call-time using regression calibration methods based on self-reported data and objective operator-recorded information.
  • Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for these tumor types were estimated with Cox regression models, adjusted for country, sex, educational level, and marital status.

Results

  • 264,574 participants accrued 1,836,479 person-years.
  • During a median follow-up of 7.12 years, there were 149 glioma, 89 meningioma, and 29 incident cases of acoustic neuroma diagnosed.
  • The adjusted HR per 100 regression-calibrated cumulative hours of mobile phone call-time was:
    • 1.00 (95% CI 0.98-1.02) for glioma
    • 1.01 (95% CI 0.96-1.06) for meningioma
    • 1.02 (95% CI 0.99-1.06) for acoustic neuroma
  • For glioma, HR for ≥1908 cumulative hours (90th percentile cut-point) was 1.07 (95% CI 0.62-1.86).
  • Over 15 years of mobile phone use was not associated with increased tumour risk; for glioma HR was 0.97 (95% CI 0.62-1.52).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that the cumulative amount of mobile phone use is not associated with the risk of developing glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma.

It is important to note that previous studies and some methodological limitations continue to support scientific investigation into potential health risks from electromagnetic fields (EMF) exposure.

mobile phones brain tumour RF-EMF glioma meningioma acoustic neuroma cohort study
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