Epidemiological study (observational study)

Use of cellular telephones and the risk for brain tumours: A case-control study epidem.

By: Hardell L, Nasman A, Pahlson A, Hallquist A, Hansson Mild K

Published in: Int J Oncol 1999; 15 (1): 113-116

Aim of study (acc. to author)

In this Swedish case-control study the exposure to cellular telephones as a potential risk factor for brain tumor was investigated.

Further details

Further results concerning occupational history and tumor laterality in relation to mobile phone use are published in publications 6110 and 9009.
Subjects with a minimum cumulative exposure time of 8 hours one year prior diagnosis were classified as exposed.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

- mobile communications
- analog mobile phone
- digital mobile phone
- GSM
- NMT
- personal

Assessment

questionnaire: use of cellular phone during leisure time and in occupations, average minutes of exposure per day, years, type (first part of phone number (to differentiate between analog and digital), use of hands-free devices, use in car with fixed external antenna
interview: supplementing data
calculation: cumulative exposure in hours

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Group 1	latency period > 1 year: total
Group 2	latency period > 1 year: < 136 h
Group 3	latency period > 1 year: > 136 h
Group 4	latency period > 1 year, GSM: total
Group 5	latency period > 1 year, GSM: < 88 h
Group 6	latency period > 1 year, GSM: > 88 h
Group 7	latency period > 1 year, NMT: total
Group 8	latency period > 1 year, NMT: < 224 h
Group 9	latency period > 1 year, NMT: > 224 h
Group 10	latency period > 5 years: total
Group 11	latency period > 5 years: < 424 h
Group 12	latency period > 5 years: > 424 h
Group 13	latency period > 5 years, GSM: total
Group 14	latency period > 5 years, GSM: < 292 h
Group 15	latency period > 5 years, GSM: > 292 h
Group 16	latency period > 5 years, NMT: total
Group 17	latency period > 5 years, NMT: < 380 h
Group 18	latency period > 5 years, NMT: > 380 h
Group 19	latency period > 10 years, NMT: total
Group 20	latency period > 10 years, NMT: < 968 h
Group 21	latency period > 10 years, NMT: < 968 h

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: 20–80 years
Observation period: 1994 - 1996
Study location: Sweden (Uppsala-Örebro region, Stockholm region)

Case group

Characteristics: brain tumor, histopathologically verified
Data source: Oncological Centres
Exclusion criteria: deceased, too ill, recurrent tumor

Control group

Selection:
- population-based
Matching:
- sex
- age
- area
- case:control = 1:2

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	270	-
Contacted	233	-
Participants	217	439
Evaluable	209	425

Statistical analysis method:

conditional logistic regression

Results (acc. to author)

Use of cellular telephones was reported by 78 cases (37.3 %) and 161 controls (37.9 %). Overall no increased risk for brain tumor among cellular phone users was found. No dose-response effects could be seen when different latency periods were used. Only a non-significantly increased risk for tumor localisation on the same side where the cellular phone had been used was found for analog NMT cellular phones. This result is based on low-numbers und must be interpreted with caution.

Limitations (acc. to author)

The observation time for use of GSM cellular phone was too short.

Study funded by

Örebro Cancer Fund, Sweden
Swedish Medical Research Council (SMRC), Sweden

Comments on this article

Ahlbom A et al. (1999): Reply: Use of cellular phones and the risk of brain tumours: a case-control study

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