Do Cellphones Cause Brain Cancer?

Q: I talk on my cellphone a lot… am I at risk for getting brain cancer (or any kind of cancer) from my frequent use?

A: Like a lot of things in science, this is a controversial subject because the evidence we have makes it difficult to determine a true cause and effect relationship.

Cell phones do emit small amounts of radiation, and while it is thought that the amount of radiation is insufficient to cause cellular damage, three studies since 1999 indicate that people who have used cell phones for more than a decade may have as much as three times greater risk of developing brain tumors on the side of the head against which they most often hold their phone—an argument for, at the least, shifting ears regularly or, even better, using an earpiece or the speakerphone feature while chatting. Even better… turn the phone off and put it down for a while.

Dr. Brent Ridge is the health expert for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. You can call and ask him a question live every Tuesday at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 112 (1.866.675.6675). You can also follow along as he learns to grow his own food, raise goats, and make goat milk soap on his farm in upstate New York by visiting www.beekman1802.com.

Got a health question for Dr. Brent? E-mail him at drbrent@care2.com.

Read more: Health, brain, cancer, cellphones, electricity, research, symptoms

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

J.L. A.

8:49AM PDT on Apr 27, 2012

wish there were definitive research

send a green star

Abbey M.

4:04PM PDT on Mar 18, 2012

Something to think about. Makes me glad that I hate talking on any phone.

Fa'izah J. A.

7:31PM PST on Jan 28, 2012

I don't know if cell phones cause or increase the chance of a person developing brain cancer BUT they clearly seem to be causing some people to lose their minds, common sense and sense of decency. Society has become increasingly rude as people feel it is their right to call or text someone else at any time of day or night and the recipient of those calls or texts feel they absolutely have to answer or respond immediately. Society has lost the ability to actually communicate in person.

I hate it when I'm in a meeting and someone suddenly picks up their phone to read a text or walks out of the meeting to take the call. I yell at my kids when they call or text me while I'm at work and I refuse to even look at my phone when I'm driving and I will not get a hands free head set or blue tooth. No one is that important and nothing is that urgent... ever.

Society managed before cell phones and thus instant access. If someone is born or someone dies, it doesn't matter if you find out immediately or hours or days later; you can't change the event..

Tom S.

9:12AM PST on Dec 5, 2011

Don't like cell phones never have & never will

Gary C.

10:29AM PST on Nov 29, 2011

Interesting Thankyou...

Sue P.

11:02AM PDT on Jun 5, 2011

There are 1000's of studies showing adverse health effects from this type of radiation
Just search
This week IARC (part of the WHO)
classified the radiation as a class 2b carcinogen against a lot of industry pressure not to, as you can imagine
This is just the first warning
Cordless landlines are the same and also transmit 24/7 from the base unit resulting in the same levels inside the house as in the main beam of a cell phone tower. 2 studies show a tripling of cancer incidence after 5 years in the main beam (about 400m away)
Much evidence see
www.wiredchild.org
www.wifiinschools.org.uk
www.powerwatch.org.uk
www.mastsanity.org
www.bioinitiative.org
etc

Tori L.

10:34PM PDT on Jun 4, 2011

There is zero to none research put into the brain as there are other diesases.I sure hope that if all of this is true or not,that our country will start to realize how important the brain really is.

Brenda T.

12:44AM PDT on Jun 3, 2011

Good information.

KS G.

5:53AM PDT on Jun 1, 2011

Thanks for the article.

Past Member .

5:41AM PDT on Jun 1, 2011

OK.