Epidemiological study (observational study)

Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields emitted from base stations of DECT cordless phones and the risk of glioma and meningioma (Interphone Study Group, Germany) epidem.

By: Schüz J, Bohler E, Schlehofer B, Berg G, Schlaefer K, Hettinger I, Kunna-Grass K, Wahrendorf J, Blettner M

Published in: Radiat Res 2006; 166 (1): 116-119

The German study group supplemented the core questionnaire of the INTERPHONE project to assess the exposure to DECT base stations. The results concerning mobile phones are published in publication 13158.
The exposure measure was the location of a base station of a DECT cordless phone. A subject was classified as exposed if the DECT base station was located 3 m or less away from the subject's bed. Since many subjects could not recall whether their cordless phone was DECT, all information about make and model were used to classify cordless phones into "definitively DECT" and "possibly DECT".

Type of risk estimation:

(odds ratio (OR))

interview: use of analog or DECT cordless phone, type, starting and stopping dates of using cordless phones, location of base station within residence

Group	Description
Reference group 1	definitively DECT: no
Group 2	definitively DECT: yes
Reference group 3	possibly/definitively DECT: no
Group 4	possibly/definitively DECT: yes
Reference group 5	time since first exposure (possibly/definitively DECT): no, < 1 year
Group 6	time since first exposure (possibly/definitively DECT): 1-4 years
Group 7	time since first exposure (possibly/definitively DECT): ≥ 5 years

Characteristics: glioma and meningioma, histologically confirmed
Data source: neurosurgical clinics in Bielefeld, Heidelberg, Mainz and Mannheim, Germany
Exclusion criteria: no histological confirmation, recurrent tumors, insufficient knowledge of the German language, main residence outside the study region

Other:

glioma: 460 cases eligible, 366 participating; meningioma: 431 cases eligible, 381 participating

Statistical analysis method:

(adjustment:

)

Only few subjects had placed their DECT cordless phone base station close to the bed (definitely: 8 cases and 23 controls, possibly/definitively: 10 cases and 26 controls). The risk of glioma or meningioma was not increased.
No association between continuous low-level radiofrequency electromagnetic fields exposure during the night and the risk of glioma and meningioma was observed.

Only a small number of subjects were exposed. Detailed information about the type of cordless phone (analog or DECT) was difficult to obtain.

Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS; Federal Office for Radiation Protection), Salzgitter, Germany
Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit (Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety), Germany
Deutsches Mobilfunk Forschungsprogramm (DMF; German Mobile Phone Research Programme) at Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS)
European Union (EU)/European Commission
International Union against Cancer (UICC; Union Internationale Contre le Cancer), Switzerland
MAIFOR Program (Mainzer Forschungsförderungsprogramm) of the University of Mainz, Germany
Ministerium für Umwelt und Naturschutz, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz, Nordrhein-Westfalen (Ministry for the Environment of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia), Germany
Ministerium für Umwelt und Verkehr, Baden-Württemberg (Ministry for the Environment and Traffic of the state of Baden-Württemberg), Germany