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, Paul 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

Overview

Each new generation of mobile phone technology has triggered discussions about the potential carcinogenicity from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). However, the available evidence has been insufficient to reach conclusions about long-term and heavy mobile phone use. Challenges such as differential recall, selection bias, and crude exposure assessment have limited previous studies. The Cohort Study on Mobile Phones and Health (COSMOS) was specifically designed to address these shortcomings.

Methods

  • Participants were recruited in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK from 2007 to 2012.
  • A baseline questionnaire assessed lifetime history of mobile phone use.
  • Follow-up through cancer registers identified glioma, meningioma, and acoustic neuroma cases.
  • Non-differential exposure misclassification was reduced through regression calibration of mobile phone call-time using both self-reported and operator-recorded data.
  • Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for tumour outcomes.

Findings

  • 264,574 participants contributed 1,836,479 person-years of follow-up.
  • During a median follow-up of 7.12 years, there were 149 glioma, 89 meningioma, and 29 acoustic neuroma cases.
  • Adjusted HR per 100 regression-calibrated cumulative hours of call-time:
    • Glioma: 1.00 (95% CI 0.98–1.02)
    • Meningioma: 1.01 (95% CI 0.96–1.06)
    • Acoustic neuroma: 1.02 (95% CI 0.99–1.06)
  • For very high cumulative hours (≥ 1908 hours; 90th percentile), HR for glioma was 1.07 (95% CI 0.62–1.86).
  • For mobile phone use exceeding 15 years, HR for glioma 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.

⚠️ Important Note:

Despite these findings, it is important to be aware that electromagnetic fields (EMF) have been linked to health risks in other research studies. Continued monitoring and research are necessary to fully understand the potential long-term health effects.

mobile phones brain tumour electromagnetic fields cohort study RF-EMF cancer risk COSMOS
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