Cellular telephone use and cancer risk – an update of a nationwide Danish cohort

Joachim Schüz, Rune Jacobsen, Jørgen H Olsen, John D Boice Jr., Joseph K McLaughlin, Christoffer Johansen

Affiliations of authors: J. Schüz, R. Jacobsen, J. H. Olsen , C. Johansen, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark; J. D. Boice Jr., J. K. McLaughlin, International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville MD, USA and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville TN, USA

Abstract

Background: The widespread use of cellular telephones has heightened concerns about possible adverse health effects. The objective of this study is to investigate cancer risk among Danish cellular telephone users followed for up to 21 years. Methods: This study is an extended follow-up of a large nationwide cohort of 420 095 persons whose first cellular telephone subscription was between 1982 and 1995, who were followed through 2002 for cancer incidence. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were derived by dividing the number of observed cancer cases in the cohort by the number expected in the Danish population. Results: A total of 14 249 cancers were observed (SIR 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI]= 0.93 to 0.97) for men and women combined. No increases in SIR were found for brain tumors (SIR 0.97), acoustic neuromas (SIR 0.73), salivary gland tumors (SIR 0.77), eye tumors (SIR 0.96) or leukemias (SIR 1.00). The SIR for brain tumors in long-term subscribers of ³10 years was 0.66 (CI= 0.44 to 0.95) but there was no trend with time since first subscription. The SIRs for smoking-related cancers were decreased among men, while they were increased among women. Additional data on income and smoking prevalence, primarily among men indicated that early cellular telephone subscribers had a higher income and a healthier life-style. A comparison between subscriber data and self-reported cellular telephone use showed fair agreement. Conclusions: Our study provides no evidence for an association between tumor risk and cellular telephone use among either short-term or long-term users.


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English Forside Det Strategiske Forskningsråd varetager forskningsprogrammet for ikke-ioniserende stråling. DSF’s bestyrelse udmønter ikke selv programmidler, og bestyrelsen har derfor nedsat en programkomite for ikke-ioniserende stråling bestående af fire anerkendte forskere. Der er afsat en samlet ramme på 30 mio. kr. til programmet. 15 mio. kr. blev uddelt i 2004, og 15 mio. kr. i 2005. Oplysninger om denne forskningsindsats – bl.a. omtale af de bevilgede projekter og forskernes oplæg på de afholdte åbne møder kan ses på DSF’s website på adressen: www.mobil.forsk.dk	Cellular telephone use and cancer risk – an update of a nationwide Danish cohort Joachim Schüz, Rune Jacobsen, Jørgen H Olsen, John D Boice Jr., Joseph K McLaughlin, Christoffer Johansen Affiliations of authors: J. Schüz, R. Jacobsen, J. H. Olsen , C. Johansen, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark; J. D. Boice Jr., J. K. McLaughlin, International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville MD, USA and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville TN, USA Abstract Background: The widespread use of cellular telephones has heightened concerns about possible adverse health effects. The objective of this study is to investigate cancer risk among Danish cellular telephone users followed for up to 21 years. Methods: This study is an extended follow-up of a large nationwide cohort of 420 095 persons whose first cellular telephone subscription was between 1982 and 1995, who were followed through 2002 for cancer incidence. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were derived by dividing the number of observed cancer cases in the cohort by the number expected in the Danish population. Results: A total of 14 249 cancers were observed (SIR 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI]= 0.93 to 0.97) for men and women combined. No increases in SIR were found for brain tumors (SIR 0.97), acoustic neuromas (SIR 0.73), salivary gland tumors (SIR 0.77), eye tumors (SIR 0.96) or leukemias (SIR 1.00). The SIR for brain tumors in long-term subscribers of ³10 years was 0.66 (CI= 0.44 to 0.95) but there was no trend with time since first subscription. The SIRs for smoking-related cancers were decreased among men, while they were increased among women. Additional data on income and smoking prevalence, primarily among men indicated that early cellular telephone subscribers had a higher income and a healthier life-style. A comparison between subscriber data and self-reported cellular telephone use showed fair agreement. Conclusions: Our study provides no evidence for an association between tumor risk and cellular telephone use among either short-term or long-term users.