By Lennard Hardell, PhD, MD
Professor, Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Sweden

Letter to the Editor
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

It is both wise and timely to advocate for the precautionary principle for use of both mobile and cordless phones as recently made in Advice from University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Based on Advice from an International Expert Panel. Our research team in Sweden has raised similar concerns about long-term health effects from exposure to microwaves during such use. The brain is the main target organ with highest exposure to the same side as the phone is used. Furthermore, due to anatomical reasons, the brain of a child is more exposed to microwaves than the brain of an adult. This is caused by thinner bone for absorption of microwaves and a smaller brain that permits deeper penetration into the brain. A recent French study showed that children might be twice as more exposed than grown-ups, which is worrying.

Sweden was one of the countries first to adopt the wireless technology in the early 1980’s. Thus there are by now persons who have used mobile and cordless phones long enough to evaluate long-term health effects, primarily the risk for brain tumors. Our research started for more than 10 years and we were the first to report an increased risk for brain tumours. In follow-up studies we were able to confirm the results. By now, evaluating all international studies in this area, there is a consistent pattern of an about doubled risk for brain tumors (glioma and acoustic neuroma) on the same side that the mobile phone has been used for at least 10 years. Glioma is the malignant, usually lethal type of brain tumor and acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor on the hearing nerve that causes tinnitus and ultimately deafness.

Little has so far been studied of long-term health effects from near-field microwave exposure during use of wireless phones or far-field exposure from base stations emitting microwaves. Since virtually whole populations are exposed even small effects would have large public health implications. Current emissions from wireless phones do not protect us from brain tumors in the long run. Prudent avoidance of exposure is necessary awaiting safer technology.

Lennart Hardell, MD, PhD
Professor
Department of Oncology
University Hospital
SE-701 85 Orebro
Sweden