Epidemiological study (observational study)

Mobile Phone Use and the Risk of Acoustic Neuroma epidem.

By: Lönn S, Ahlbom A, Hall P, Feychting M

Published in: Epidemiology 2004; 15 (6): 653-659

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A population-based case-control study was conducted in Sweden to investigate the association between mobile phone use and the risk of acoustic neuroma.

Further details

Regular use of mobile phone was defined as use of a mobile phone on average once per week during 6 months or more.
The study is part of the INTERPHONE project.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor: acoustic neuroma

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

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

Assessment

Type of assessment: Individual
interview: mobile phone use, start and end for different models, operator, duration and number of calls, hands-free equipment, use in urban, suburban, or rural areas, side of head on which the phone is mainly used, handedness, environmental exposure
calculation: cumulative time of mobile phone use and cumulative numbers of calls

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	never or nonregular use
Group 2	regular use
Group 3	duration of use < 5 years
Group 4	duration of use 5-9 years
Group 5	duration of use ≥ 10 years
Group 6	time since first regular use < 5 years
Group 7	time since first regular use 5-9 years
Group 8	time since first regular use ≥ 10 years
Group 9	cumulative use < 30 hours
Group 10	cumulative use 30-449 hours
Group 11	cumulative use ≥ 450 hours
Group 12	cumulative use adjusted for hands-free use < 30 hours
Group 13	cumulative use adjusted for hands-free use 30-449 hours
Group 14	cumulative use adjusted for hands-free use ≥ 450 hours
Group 15	cumulative number of calls < 625
Group 16	cumulative number of calls 625-7349
Group 17	cumulative number of calls ≥ 7350
Group 18	digital phone regular use
Group 19	digital phone time since first regular use < 5 years
Group 20	digital phone time since first regular use ≥ 5 years
Group 21	analog phone regular use
Group 22	analog phone time since first regular use < 5 years
Group 23	analog phone time since first regular use 5-9 years
Group 24	analog phone time since first regular use ≥ 10 years
Group 25	ipsilateral exposure regular use
Group 26	ipsilateral exposure duration of regular use < 5 years
Group 27	ipsilateral exposure duration of regular use 5-9 years
Group 28	ipsilateral exposure duration of regular use ≥ 10 years
Group 29	ipsilateral exposure time since first regular use < 5 years
Group 30	ipsilateral exposure time since first regular use 5-9 years
Group 31	ipsilateral exposure time since first regular use ≥ 10 years
Group 32	contralateral exposure regular use
Group 33	contralateral exposure duration of regular use < 5 years
Group 34	contralateral exposure duration of regular use 5-9 years
Group 35	contralateral exposure duration of regular use &; 10 years
Group 36	contralateral exposure time since first regular use < 5 years
Group 37	contralateral exposure time since first regular use 5-9 years
Group 38	contralateral exposure time since first regular use ≥ 10 years

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: 20–69 years
Observation period: September 1999 - August 2002
Study location: Sweden (Lund, Göteborg and Stockholm areas)

Case group

Characteristics: acoustic neuroma, verified by histology, computer tomography or magnetic resonance imaging
Data source: Cancer Registries
Exclusion criteria: deafness, lacking intellectual or lingual skills

Control group

Selection:
- population-based
Matching:
- sex
- age
- area

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	160	838
Participants	148	604
Participation rate	93 %	72 %

Statistical analysis method:

unconditional logistic regression

(adjustment:

age
sex
residential area
education

)

Results (acc. to author)

The results did not show an increased risk of acoustic neuroma related to short-term mobile phone use. The data suggested an increased risk of acoustic neuroma for mobile phone use of at least 10 years' duration. The association was strongest for tumors on the same side of the head as the mobile phone was normally held.

Study funded by

European Union (EU)/European Commission
International Union against Cancer (UICC; Union Internationale Contre le Cancer), Switzerland
Swedish Research Council (VR)

Comments on this article

No authors listed (2005): Cell phone use raises cancer risk. Swedish researchers demonstrate the first small link between cell phones and tumors, but is it time to panic?
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