Many mobile phone use leads to cancer

An Israeli scientist, Dr. Siegal Sadetzki, found a link between the amount of cell phone use and the growth of tumors.

Dr. Sadetzki, a physicist, epidemiologist and lecturer at Tel Aviv University, has just published the results of a study in the American Epidemiology journal. She and colleagues found that people who use mobile phones are more likely to develop benign and malignant salivary adenoma.

Those who use a mobile phone on the top of the head have a tumor that increases the risk of developing tumors in the main salivary gland (ear) to 50% compared with those who do not use mobile phones.

The fact that the study was done on an Israeli population is significant. Sadetzki said: 'Unlike other countries, Israelis have quickly updated mobile technology and become unusually mobile users. Therefore, the level of exposure to radio frequency radiation is higher than in previous studies. "

' This particular population has shown us the signs of mobile phone use associated with cancer ' Sadetzki added, her study involved nearly 500 people diagnosed with adenoma Benign and malignant foam.

Strictly controlled research indicates risk.

Participants in the study were asked to indicate their mobile phone usage habits, such as average length and frequency of calls. They were compared to a group of 1,300 completely healthy people.

The study also points to a higher risk of cancer for rural mobile users. Because the number of antennas is less, mobile phones in suburbs must emit larger radiation to communicate effectively.

Sadetzki predicts that, over time, greater impact will be found in many mobile users and children.
Along with significant anecdotal evidence, the consistency of the results also indicates the link between the use of mobile phones and tumors. The potential risks are difficult to prove, mainly due to the long development of cancer, Sadetzki explained.

Use your phone smarter

Today, more than 90% of Westerners use mobile phones. As mobile technology becomes cheaper and easier, the number of users including children, rising will lead to a jump in mobile usage.

'I think mobile technology will not change , ' Sadetzki said, 'so precautions should be taken to reduce the impact and risk of health damage . ' She recommends that people use headphones, keep the phone away from people, reduce the frequency and duration of calls and also provide preventive effects.

Despite appreciating the convenience of communication that mobile phones bring to their parents and children, Sadetzki thinks parents should consider the age at which they start using mobile phones. Parents should be cautious about their children using headphones or hands-free devices, and limit the number of calls and times they use the phone.

'Some of the technologies we use today contain risks. The question is not whether to use them or not but how to use them, ' concludes Sadetzki.

Much of this research was done by Sadetzki at the Getner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Research at Sheba Medical Center. Her research is part of an international mobile program, which aims to understand the relationship between cell phones and some brain and parotid tumors.