Brain tumours and mobile phone use: an overview of the studies by the Örebro group.

Kjell Hansson Mild, PhD, Professor

National Institute for Working Life, SE-907 13 Umeå and Department of Natural Sciences,
Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
and
Lennart Hardell, MD, PhD, Professor
Department of Oncology, University Hospital, SE-701 85 Örebro and Department of Natural
Sciences, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden

The first study by the group was published in 1999. It was a case-control study on patients
aged 20-80 years. The study comprised only 209 cases. It was found that ipsilateral use of
mobile telephone increased the risk for tumours in the temporal, temporoparietal and occipital
lobes with odds ratio (OR)=2.42, 95 % confidence interval (CI)=0.97-6.05, i.e., the
anatomical areas with highest exposure to microwaves from a mobile phone (Hardell et al,
1999). The result was further strengthened with OR=2.62, CI=1.02-6.71, in a multivariate
analysis including laboratory work and medical diagnostic x-ray investigations of the head
and neck (Hardell et al, 2001). However, this result was based on only 13 exposed cases, 10
with a malignant and 3 with a benign tumour.

A second case-control study was done on patients aged 20-80 years with a brain tumour
diagnosed during January 1, 1997 and June 30, 2000. One control matched on sex and age in
5-year age groups was selected for each case. Use of different phone types was assessed by a
questionnaire. Of the primarily included 1 617 cases and controls 1429 (88 %) cases and 1470
(91 %) controls answered the questionnaire. This study has been analysed in two different
ways, one matched analysis (Hardell et al, 2002a) where the ”unexposed” group of cases and
controls could have been exposed to other phones than the one that was analysed, and one
unmatched analysis (adjusted for sex, age and socioeconomic index) whith cases and
controls truly unexposed to cellular or cordless phones. In the latter (Hardell et al, 2002b) we
found that use of analogue mobile telephones gave an increased risk with OR=1.3, 95%
CI=1.04-1.6, whereas digital and cordless phones did not overall increase the risk
significantly. Ipsilateral use of analogue phones gave OR=1.7, 95% CI=1.2-2.3, digital
phones OR=1.3, 95% CI=1.02-1.8 and cordless phones OR=1.2, 95% CI=0.9-1.6. The risk for
ipsilateral use was significantly increased for astrocytoma for all studied phone types,
analogue phones OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.1-3.2, digital phones OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.1-2.8, cordless
phones OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.1-2.9. Use of a telephone on the opposite side of the brain was not
associated with a significantly increased risk for brain tumours. Regarding anatomical area of
the tumour and exposure to microwaves, the risk was increased for tumours located in the
temporal area on the same side of the brain that was used during phone calls, significantly so
for analogue mobile telephones OR=2.1, 95% CI=1.3-3.3. For acoustic neurinoma OR=4.4,
95% CI=2.1-9.2 was calculated among analogue mobile telephone users. When duration of
use was analysed as a continuous variable in the total material, the risk increased per year for
analogue phones with OR=1.04, 95% CI=1.01-1.08. For astrocytoma and ipsilateral use the
trend was for analogue phones OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.02-1.19, digital phones OR=1.11, 95%
CI=1.01-1.22, and cordless phones OR=1.09, 95% CI=1.01-1.19. There was a tendency of a
shorter tumour induction period for ipsilateral exposure to microwaves than for contralateral,
which may indicate a tumour promotor effect.

Recently, Lönn et al (2004) presented their data on mobile phone use and the risk for acoustic
neurinoma, and their finding of an OR of 3.9 for ipislateral use with10 years latency confirms
our previous findings (Hardell et al, 2002b).

Regarding different age groups (Hardell et al, 2004 in press) the highest risk was found for
cases with ages between 20-29 years at diagnos, OR=5.91, 95% CI=0.63-55 for ipsilateral use
of analogue phones. With >5-year latency period the highest risks were found in the age
group 20-29 years for analogue phones; OR=8.17, 95% CI=0.94-71, and cordless phones;
OR=4.30, 95% CI=1.22-15.

We have also done a study to investigate the association on the use of mobile or cordless
telephones and the risk for salivary gland tumours (Hardell et al, 2004). Cases were assessed
from the six regional cancer registries in Sweden. Four controls matched on sex and age in 5-
year age groups were selected for each case. Exposure was assessed by using the same
questionnaire and study method as in our simultaneous brain tumour study on this issue. In
total 293 living cases and 1172 controls were included. The number of participating cases was
267 (91%) and controls 1053 (90%). Overall no significantly increased risk was found. Use of
analogue phones yielded OR=0.92 and 95% CI=0.58-1.44, digital phones OR=1.01, CI=0.68-
1.50 and cordless phones OR=0.99, CI=0.68-1.43. Similar results were found for different
salivary gland localisations. No effect of tumour induction period or latency was seen,
although few subjects reported use for more than 10 years. No association between the use of
mobile or cordless phones and salivary gland tumour was found, although this study does not
permit conclusions for long-term heavy use.

Hardell L, Näsman Å, Påhlsson A, Hallquist A, Hansson Mild K. Use of cellular

telephones and the risk for brain tumours: A case-control study. International Journal of
Oncology 15: 113-116, 1999.

Hardell L, Hansson Mild K, Påhlson A, Hallquist A. Ionizing radiation, cellular

telephones and the risk for brain tumours. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 2001,
10, 523-529.

Hardell, L., Hallquist, A., Hansson Mild, K., Påhlson, A., and Lilja, A. Cellular and
cordless telephones and the risk for brain tumours. European Journal of Cancer Prevention
vol 11, 377-388, 2002.

Hardell L, Hansson Mild K, Carlberg M. Further aspects on cellular and cordless

telephones and brain tumours. Internat. J. Oncol. 22, pp 399-407, 2002b.

Hardell L, Hansson Mild K, Carlberg M, Hallquist A. Cellular and cordless telephones

and the association with brain tumors in different age groups. Arch Environ health,
accepted for publication 2004.

Hardell L, Hallquist A, Hansson Mild K, Carlberg M, Gertzén H, Schildt E-B, Dahlqvist

Å. No association between the use of cellular or cordless telephones and salivary gland
tumours. Occup Environ Med 2004;61:675–679. doi: 10.1136/oem.2003.011262

Lönn S, Ahlbom A, Hall P, Feychting M. Mobile phone use and the risk of acoustic
neurinoma. Epidemiology 15: 653-9, 2004.