Is there an increased risk of brain tumor due to effects of radiation from cell phones?

Doctor Joshua’s Answer:

Just recently (Jan 2007), a study was published which found no clear connection of mobile phone use with glioma, a type of brain tumor. The study is inconclusive, because of a borderline statistically significant finding linking increased risk of brain tumor (glioma) on the side or the head of >10 years of mobile phone use. In plain English, this means that it is not a proven finding, but there is a trend that needs to be studied further.

This study can be (and has been) reported in two ways, depending on the special interest of the reporter. It is in the interest of the mobile phone industry to (justifiably) downplay the finding of increased risk in one group. On the other hand, those newspapers, magazines and internet websites that sell their publication by using shock effects and by mainly publishing scandalous news, as well as some special interest groups, have reported the results of the study as proving the connection between cell phones and brain cancer.

In the case of this study, both viewpoints are essentially correct, but in science the general principle is that a negative does not have to be proven; therefore it is more prudent to interpret the results of this study as not proof of link between cell phones and brain tumors - but this study does not manage to prove the opposite either - therefore we do not have the answer to this question yet and further studies are needed. We can, however, interpret the results of this study as reassurance that there is no clear connection, and most of should be safe from the risk of developing brain tumors due to cell phone use.

Reference:
Lahkola A et al. (Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority), Int J Cancer. 2007 Jan 17; Mobile phone use and risk of glioma in 5 North European countries.