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Cell Phones and Brain Cancer
Found Unrelated

By: Elizabeth Nelson

The Associated Press recently published an article citing a new study that found people who use cell phones for less than three years are not at a greater risk for brain cancer. 891 cell phone users were tested for this study. Still unknown is if long term use may cause brain cancer. The study goes against what many people thought: that cell phone use may cause brain cancer.

This study was funded by the cell phone industry group Wireless Technology Research and the National Cancer Institute. The study was published in the Journal for the American Medical Association. The study hopes to reassure the 86 million plus cell phone users.

The study published by the National Cancer Institute tested 782 people with brain cancer and 799 people without cancer. There was no risk found even when cell users talked on their phones for one hour a day for five or more years. Still more testing is needed, says the National Cancer Institute.

The reason brain cancer was believed to be linked to cell phone use is because sell phones "contain an antenna inside the receiver, which puts the user's brain close to the electromagnetic radio waves the antenna emits." Cell phones were introduced to the US in 1984 and have been targets of safety studies since then.

The FDA is working with the cell phone industry to continue research. Now, some cell phone manufacturer even disclose their radiation levels of their phones.

Cell phone use is found not related to increased brain cancer risk except for newroepitheliomatours cancer caused by neuron-cell tumors. Thirty five patients with these types of tumors were questioned and 14-40% used cell phones. A percentage this small may occur by chance alone. In short, the FDA believes that there is "certainly not cause for concern."