Study type: Epidemiological study (observational study)

Mobile phone and cordless phone use and the risk for glioma - Analysis of pooled case-control studies in Sweden, 1997-2003 and 2007-2009 epidem.

Published in: Pathophysiology 2015; 22 (1): 1-13

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A pooled analysis of case-control studies on glioma and use of mobile phones and cordless phones was conducted in Sweden.

Further details

Following studies are included: The first case-control study covering the period 1997-2000 was published in the publications Hardell et al (2002) and Hardell et al (2003). The second study covering the period 2000-2003 was published in Hardell et al (2005) concerning benign brain tumors and in Hardell et al (2006) concerning malignant brain tumors. A pooled analysis of these studies is published in Hardell et al (2006). The new case-control study on brain tumors was conducted in the period 2007-2009. The results of this new study on meningioma are published in Carlberg et al (2013). The results of the pooled analysis for acoustic neuroma, 1997-2003 and 2007-2009, is available in the publication Hardell et al (2013).

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Type of risk estimation: (odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

Assessment

Exposure groups

Group Description
Reference group 1 unexposed
Group 2 analog mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 3 analog mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 4 analog mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 5 analog mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 6 analog mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 7 analog mobile phone > 20- to 25- year latency period
Group 8 analog mobile phone > 25 year latency period
Group 9 digital (2G) mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 10 digital (2G) mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 11 digital (2G) mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 12 digital (2G) mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 13 digital (2G) mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 14 digital (3G) mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 15 digital (3G) mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 16 digital (3G) mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 17 analog + digital mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 18 analog + digital mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 19 analog + digital mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 20 analog + digital mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 21 analog + digital mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 22 analog + digital mobile phone > 20-to 25-year latency period
Group 23 analog + digital mobile phone > 25 -year latency period
Group 24 cordless phone > 1 year latency period
Group 25 cordless phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 26 cordless phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 27 cordless phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 28 cordless phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 29 cordless phone > 20- to 25-year latency period
Group 30 digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 1 year latency period
Group 31 digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 32 digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 33 digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 34 digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 35 digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 20- to 25- year latency period
Group 36 mobile phone + cordless phone > 1 year latency period
Group 37 mobile phone + cordless phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 38 mobile phone + cordless phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 39 mobile phone + cordless phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 40 mobile phone + cordless phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 41 mobile phone + cordless phone > 20- to 25-year latency period
Group 42 mobile phone + cordless phone > 20-year latency period

Population

Case group

Control group

Study size

Cases Controls
Eligible 1,691 4,038
Participants 1,498 3,530
Participation rate 89 % 87 %
Other:

1380 patients with glioma

Statistical analysis method: (adjustment: )

Results (acc. to author)

Mobile phone use increased the risk of glioma (group 17: OR 1.3, CI 1.1-1.6), increasing to OR 3.0 (CI 1.7-5.2) in the > 25 year latency group. An increased risk was observed with the use of cordless phones (group 24: OR 1.4, CI 1.1-1.7), with highest risk in the >15-20 year latency group (group 28: OR 1.7, CI 1.1-2.5). The OR increased statistically significant both per 100 h of cumulative use (OR 1.011, CI 1.008-1.014), and per year of latency for mobile and cordless phone use (OR 1.032, CI 1.019-1.046). An increased risk was found for ipsilateral mobile phone use (OR 1.8, CI 1.4-2.2) and cordless phone use (OR 1.7, CI 1.3-2.1). First use of mobile before the age of 20 gave higher OR (OR 1.8, CI 1.2-2.8) for glioma than in later age groups (20-49 years: OR 1.3, CI 1.1-1.6; 50 years and older: OR 1.3, KI 1.1-1.6); similar results were observed for cordless phone use.
The authors conclude that this pooled analysis gives further support that mobile phone and cordless phone use increases the risk for glioma.

Study funded by

Related articles