Mobile Phones and Cancer: A recent large-scale study commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) has debunked the long-standing myth that electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones and wireless technologies can cause cancer. According to the study, published in Environment International, the radio waves emitted by wireless technologies, including mobile phones, are too weak to damage DNA or cause cancer.
Led by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), the study systematically reviewed over 5,000 studies and found no evidence of increased risk of brain or neck cancers, even with more than 10 years of mobile phone use. The lead author, Ken Karipidis, emphasized that despite the massive surge in mobile phone usage, brain tumor rates have remained stable, further disproving the theory that mobile phones are linked to cancer.
The review is significant, particularly as it overrules concerns raised in 2011 when the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified radio frequency electromagnetic fields as a possible carcinogen. This conclusion was largely based on positive associations observed in earlier case-control studies, which have since been critiqued for potential biases.
Dr. Abhishek Shankar, an oncologist at AIIMS, clarified that mobile phone radiation is non-ionizing, meaning it does not have enough energy to damage cells, unlike ionizing radiation from sources like X-rays, which can cause cancer. However, he and other experts advise moderating mobile phone use to prevent non-cancerous side effects like headaches or anxiety.
With over 1.2 billion mobile phone users in India, this study brings clarity to the longstanding debate and reassures the public that mobile phone usage is not linked to cancer risk.