Epidemiological study (observational study)

Meningioma patients diagnosed 2007--2009 and the association with use of mobile and cordless phones: a case-control study epidem.

By: Carlberg M, Söderqvist F, Hansson Mild K, Hardell L

Published in: Environ Health 2013; 12: 60

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A case-control study was conducted in Sweden to investigate the association between use of mobile phones and cordless phones and meningioma.

Further details

The unexposed group was defined as following: no use of mobile phone or cordless phone or less than 1 year between first use and year of diagnosis or cumulative use less than 39 hours.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor: meningioma

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

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

Assessment

questionnaire: use of wireless phones (mobile phones and cordless phones)

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 (2G) mobile phone > 20- to 25 -year latency period
Group 15	digital (2G) mobile phone ≥ 25-year latency period
Group 16	digital (3G) mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 17	digital (3G) mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 18	digital (3G) mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 19	digital (3G) mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 20	digital (3G) mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 21	digital (3G) mobile phone > 20- to 25 -year latency period
Group 22	digital (3G) mobile phone ≥ 25-year latency period
Group 23	mobile phone > 1 year latency period
Group 24	mobile phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 25	mobile phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 26	mobile phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 27	mobile phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 28	mobile phone > 20- to 25 -year latency period
Group 29	mobile phone ≥ 25-year latency period
Group 30	cordless phone > 1 year latency period
Group 31	cordless phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 32	cordless phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 33	cordless phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 34	cordless phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 35	cordless phone > 20- to 25 -year latency period
Group 36	cordless phone ≥ 25-year latency period
Group 37	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 1 year latency period
Group 38	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 39	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 40	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 41	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 42	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) > 20- to 25 -year latency period
Group 43	digital phone (2G, 3G and/or cordless phone) ≥ 25-year latency period
Group 44	wireless phone > 1 year latency period
Group 45	wireless phone > 1- to 5-year latency period
Group 46	wireless phone > 5- to 10-year latency period
Group 47	wireless phone > 10- to 15-year latency period
Group 48	wireless phone > 15- to 20-year latency period
Group 49	wireless phone > 20- to 25 -year latency period
Group 50	wireless phone ≥ 25-year latency period

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: 18–75 years
Observation period: 2007 - 2009
Study location: Sweden

Case group

Characteristics: meningioma cases, histopathologically verified
Data source: Swedish Cancer Registry

Control group

Selection:
- population-based
Matching:
- sex
- 5-year age groups

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	1,039	1,601
Contacted	920	-
Participants	814	1,368
Participation rate	88 %	85 %

Other:

709 meningioma cases, 105 other benign brain tumor cases

Statistical analysis method:

unconditional logistic regression

(adjustment:

5-year age group
sex
year of diagnosis

)

Results (acc. to author)

No overall association between use of mobile phones (OR 1.0; CI 0.7-1.4) and cordless phones (OR 1.1; CI 0.8-1.5)and meningioma was found. The risk increased statistically significant per 100 h of cumulative use and highest OR (1.4; CI 0.9-2.0) was found in the fourth quartile (>2,376 hours) of cumulative use for all studied phone types. There was no statistically significant increased risk for ipsilateral mobile or cordless phone use, for meningioma in the temporal lobe or per year of latency. Tumor volume was not related to latency or cumulative use in hours of wireless phones.
The authors reasoned that no conclusive evidence of an association between use of mobile phones and cordless phones and meningioma was found. An indication of increased risk was seen in the group with highest cumulative use but was not supported by statistically significant increasing risk with latency.

Study funded by

Cancer och Allergifonden (Cancer and Allergy Foundation), Sweden
Cancerhjälpen (Cancerhelp), Sweden
Environmental Health Trust
gigaherz.ch (Schweizerische Interessengemeinschaft Elektrosmog-Betroffener), Switzerland
Lions
Örebro University Hospital Cancer Fund, Sweden
Pandora Foundation, Germany

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