Research Starts On Mobile Phone Brain Cancer Risk

GENEVA (January 16, 1998 11:08 p.m. EST http://www.nando.net) - The first major study finally gets off the ground next week on the incidence of brain cancer among users of mobile phones -- hot on the brain but with no proven health risk so far.

Cancer researchers said on Friday that the study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer will survey cellphone records in eight countries to establish the degree of use over five years and try to gauge the possible health risks.

Elisabeth Cardis, radiation and cancer programme chief at the research agency, which is based in the French city of Lyon, urged phone makers to cooperate with the survey, prompted by concern about potential links between cellphones, a must-have accessory to daily life for millions, and health problems from headaches to brain tumours.

"We are concerned about a phenomenon that is increasing so incredibly rapidly compared to just about anything else in our environment. It's our duty to establish a surveillance programme to assess whether there is a risk, even a small one," she said.

"This should be the most informative, comprehensive study ever. But we'll need good cooperation from mobile phone makers."

Australia, Canada, Britain, France, Italy, Israel, Sweden and Denmark will be involved in the $250,000 study in the first step of the multi-million-dollar project, Cardis said.

Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark have the highest number of cellphone users in the world with three out of 10 inhabitants using one, the International Telecommunications Union says.

They are followed by Hong Kong and Australia with over 20 percent each while the United States has the highest number of cellphone users with 44 million, followed by Japan's 27 million.

Cardis, who herself uses a mobile phone, said there was no scientific evidence that cellular telephones, or cellphones, pose a human health risk and cast doubts on recent findings.

The only trend shown by one recent U.S. study among mobile phone users was an increase in traffic accidents, she said.

But researchers said mobile phones may heat up the brain with pulses of microwave radiation.

Users have reported symptoms from lack of concentration, headaches, numbing skin and memory loss to brain tumours which they said may be linked to heavy use of cellphones.

Any strong scientific proof that establishes a link could lead to litigation against cellphone manufacturers.

Despite industry denials of any risks, public concern has prompted producers to develop low-radiation phones and protective covers shielding the user from much of the radiation.

The agency's research will use extensive questionnaires to compare cases of brain tumours among mobile phone users and non-users and seek detailed historical data from manufacturers.

Ben Greenebaum of the World Health Organisation, supporting the study, said it would focus on body parts with high exposure: cheeks, the ear, some brain cells and saliva glands.

By ELIF KABAN, Reuters