Epidemiological study (observational study)

Handheld cellular telephone use and risk of brain cancer epidem.

By: Muscat JE, Malkin MG, Thompson S, Shore RE, Stellman SD, McRee D, Neugut AI, Wynder EL

Published in: JAMA 2000; 284 (23): 3001-3007

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A hospital-based case-control study was conducted in the USA to investigate whether cellular telephone use is associated with brain cancer.

Further details

Use of a handheld cellular phone was defined as having a subscription to a cellular telephone service.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

- mobile communications
- analog mobile phone
- digital mobile phone
- personal

Assessment

interview: use of a handheld cellular phone on regular basis (having a subscription to cellular telephone service), number of years of use, minutes/hours used per month, year of first use, manufacturer, reported average monthly bill, hand used to hold cellular phone

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	cellular telephone use: 0 years
Group 2	cellular telephone use: 1 year
Group 3	cellular telephone use: 2-3 years
Group 4	cellular telephone use: ≥ 4 years
Reference group 5	cellular telephone use: 0 hours/month
Group 6	cellular telephone use: > 0 ≤ 0.72 hours/month
Group 7	cellular telephone use: > 0.72 ≤ 2.1 hours/month
Group 8	cellular telephone use: > 2.1 ≤ 10.1 hours/month
Group 9	cellular telephone use: > 10.1 hours/month
Reference group 10	cellular telephone use: 0 cumulative hours
Group 11	cellular telephone use: > 0 ≤ 8.7 cumulative hours
Group 12	cellular telephone use: > 8.7 ≤ 60 cumulative hours
Group 13	cellular telephone use: > 60 ≤ 480 cumulative hours
Group 14	cellular telephone use: > 480 cumulative hours

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: 18–80 years
Observation period: 1994 - 1998
Study location: USA (New York, Providence and Boston)

Case group

Characteristics: brain cancer, histopathologically and by MRI verified
Data source: hospitals in New York (NY), Providence (RI) and Boston (MA), USA
Exclusion criteria: deceased, too ill, insufficient lingual skills in English

Control group

Selection:
- hospital-based
Matching:
- sex
- ethnicity
- 5-year age group, month of admission
- case:control = 1:1

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	571	-
Participants	469	422
Participation rate	82 %	90 %

Statistical analysis method:

unconditional logistic regression
Chi-square test

(adjustment:

age
sex
years of education, ethnicity, study center, month and year of interview

)

Results (acc. to author)

66 cases (14 %) and 76 controls (16 %) reported using cellular telephones. The mean duration of cellular telephone use was 2.8 years for cases and 2.7 years for controls. No increased risk for brain cancer was found among users of cellular telephones operating primarily on analog signals. The data suggested that the use of cellular telephones is not associated with the risk of brain tumors.

Limitations (acc. to author)

No conclusions can be drawn for long-term users.

Study funded by

Public Health Service (PHS), USA
Wireless Technology, Inc., USA

Comments on this article

Hardell L et al. (2001): Handheld cellular telephones and brain cancer risk
Kane RC (2001): Handheld cellular telephones and brain cancer risk
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Frey AH (2001): Cellular telephones and brain cancer: current research
Muscat JE et al. (2001): Incorrect Hospital Name, Incorrect Numbers, and Rounding Errors (Erratum)

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