Link found between mobile phones and brain cancer

Mobile phone users are being advised to use hands free devices and to text more after the World Health Organisation (WHO) found that cell phones are “possibly carcinogenic.”

The WHOs International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) carried out a review of past research and has said that a link between mobile phones and brain cancer cannot be ruled out.

A group of 31 health experts have been meeting in Lyon, France to go over human evidence that has come from epidemiological studies.

They concluded that the results of the studies could point to an increased incidence of glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer.

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The IARC looked at all relevant studies which investigated the effect of mobile phones in humans and their exposure to electromagnetic fields in the workplace.  

There were two studies in particular which the IRAC said showed there was an increased risk “in those that had the most intensive use” of mobile phones.

Cell phones can be given five different scientific labels; carcinogenic, probably carcinogenic, possibly carcinogenic, not classifiable or not carcinogenic.

‘Possibly carcinogenic’ was the classification given to mobile phones after the IRAC found the potential link with brain cancer.

However, the IARC did say that the link was not “clearly established” in humans and a cancer charity believes that the results are not strong enough to reach solid conclusions.

There are approximately five billion mobile phones registered across the globe and the number of registered phones and the length of time users spend on a cell phone have both risen steadily over the past few years.