Epidemiological study (observational study)

Mobile phone use and risk for intracranial tumors and salivary gland tumors - a meta-analysis epidem.

By: Bortkiewicz A, Gadzicka E, Szymczak W

Published in: Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017; 30 (1): 27-43

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The association between the mobile phone use and intracranial tumors was investigated in a meta-analysis.

Further details

Following 22 studies were included: Auvinen et al. 2002, Carlberg et al. 2003, Christensen et al. 2004, Christensen et al. 2005, Hardell et al. 1999, Hardell et al. 2004, Hardell et al. 2004, Hardell et al. 2006, Hardell et al. 2013, Hepworth et al. 2006, Inskip et al. 2001, Klaeboe et al. 2007, Lahkola et al. 2007, Lönn et al. 2004, Lönn et al. 2005, Muscat et al. 2000, Schoemaker et al. 2005, Schüz et al. 2006, Takebayashi et al. 2006, Warren et al. 2003, INTERPHONE Study Group 2010 and INTERPHONE Study Group 2011.
The following associations were analyzed: 1) all intracranial tumors and all mobile phone types, 2) all brain tumors and analog phones, 3) glioma and all mobile phone types, 4) meningioma and all mobile phone types, 5) acoustic neuroma and all mobile phone types, 6) all intracranial tumors and all phone types (use > 10 years), 7) all intracranial tumors and all phone types (time from first regular use > 10 years or more) and 8) all intracranial tumors and all phone types; ipsilateral use.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

brain tumor: glioma, meningioma, acoustic neuroma
intracranial tumors: salivary gland tumor, facial tumor, uveal melanoma

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

Exposure

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

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Observation period: 1994 - 2009
Study location: Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Israel, USA, Japan

Study size

Type	Value
Total	76,859

Other:

26,846 cases and 50,013 controls

Statistical analysis method:

heterogeneity test, fixed-effects model, random-effects model

Results (acc. to author)

A significantly higher risk of an intracranial tumor (all types) was noted for the period of mobile phone use >10 years (group 6: OR 1.46, CI 1.07-1.98), for the time from first regular use > 10 years or more (group 7: OR 1.25, CI 1.04-1.52) and for the ipsilateral use (group 8: OR 1.29, 1.06-1.57).
According to the conclusion of the authors, the results support the hypothesis that long-term use of mobile phone increases the risk of intracranial tumors, especially in the case of ipsilateral exposure.

Limitations (acc. to author)

The limitations of the meta-analysis result from the limitations of the individual case-control studies, particularly those related to exposure assessment and long latency of the intracranial tumors.

Study funded by

National Committee for Scientific Research (KBN), Poland

Comments on this article

Bortkiewicz A (2017): Erratum to Bortkiewicz et al. "Mobile phone use and risk for intracranial tumors and salivary gland tumors - A meta-analysis" (Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(1):27-43)

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