Use of mobile phones may be Carcinogenic: WHO

 

Use of mobile phones may be Carcinogenic: WHO More women are giving up their landlines for cell phones, but new research indicates that there may be health risks associated with long-term wireless use.

Wireless phones transmit via radio frequency (RF), a low-frequency form of radiation. A cell phone's main source of RF is its antenna, from which it sends a signal to the nearest base-station antenna. The further a cell phone is from the base station, the more RF it needs to establish and maintain a connection. So, the theory is that any risks posed by RF would be greater for people who live and work in areas with fewer base stations.

A cell phone user�s level of exposure to RF energy depends on several factors, including:

  • The number and duration of calls.
  • The amount of cell phone traffic at a given time.
  • The distance from the nearest cellular base station.
  • The quality of the cellular transmission.
  • The size of the handset.
  • For older phones, how far the antenna is extended.
  • Whether or not a hands-free device is used.

In recent times there is concern that RF energy produced by cell phones may affect the brain and other tissues in the head because hand-held cell phones are usually held close to the head. Researchers have focused on whether RF energy can cause malignant (cancerous) brain tumors, such as gliomas (cancers of the brain that begin in glial cells, which surround and support the nerve cells), as well as benign (noncancerous) tumors, such as acoustic neuromas (tumors that arise in the cells of the nerve that supplies the ear) and meningiomas (tumors that occur in the meninges, which are the membranes that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord) . The salivary glands also may be exposed to RF energy from cell phones held close to the head.


 

Warning issued by WHO


On 31,May 2011 WHO announced "Radiation from cell phones can possibly cause cancer". However, before its announcement on Tuesday, WHO had assured consumers that no adverse health effects had been established.

A team of 31 scientists from 14 countries, including the United States, made the decision after reviewing peer-reviewed studies on cell phone safety. The team found enough evidence to categorize personal exposure as "possibly carcinogenic to humans."

What that means is they found some evidence of increase in glioma and acoustic neuroma brain cancer (also known as vestibular schwannomas, are non-malignant tumors of the 8th cranial nerve) for mobile phone users, but have not been able to draw conclusions for other types of cancers.

 

 

Results from the largest international study on cell phones and cancer was released in 2010. It showed participants in the study who used a cell phone for 10 years or more had doubled the rate of brain glioma, a type of tumor.
 

 


What is Brain Glioma?


There are two main types of brain tumors: those that start in the brain (primary) and those that spread from cancer somewhere else in the body (metastasis). Primary brain tumors happen less often, and when they do, they are mostly malignant (cancerous). A malignant tumor is a mass or clump of cancer cells that keeps growing; it doesn't do anything except feed off the body so it can grow.

The largest group of primary brain tumors is gliomas (glee-OH-muhs). There are several kinds of gliomas: astrocytomas, which grow anywhere in the brain or spinal cord; brain stem gliomas, which arise in the lowest part of the brain; ependymomas, which develop inside the brain, in the lining of the ventricles, and oligodendrogliomas, which usually grow in the cerebrum (very rare, representing just 3% of all primary brain tumors). An advanced astrocytoma is called glioblastoma; these represent 23% of all primary brain tumors.

However, many researchers believe younger cell-phone users may face a higher risk of developing tumors because their nervous systems are not fully developed and their skulls are not as thick as those of adults.
 

Use of mobile phones may be Carcinogenic: WHO Recommendations for Cell Phone Users  :
 

Keep your device away from your body. The logic behind such recommendations is that the further the phone is from the body, the less radiation is absorbed.
 

Users can also use the speakerphone function or a wired earpiece to gain some distance.
 

Users can text instead of talk if they want to keep the phone away from their faces.
 

Finally, cell phones emit the most radiation when they are attempting to connect to cellular towers. A moving phone, or a phone in an area with a weak signal, has to work harder, giving of more radiation. So users can avoid using their cell phones in elevators, buildings and rural areas if they want to reduce their exposure.


 

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