Mobile phones not linked to increased risk of brain tumours, study finds
A large-scale study has found no evidence that using a mobile phone regularly increases the risk of brain tumours.
The research seems to debunk a long-standing myth and theories that have been reignited following the launch of 5G.
According to the researchers, the 14-year follow-up study showed no increased risk for those who regularly used mobile phones.
The study, conducted by the University of Oxford’s Population Health and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, looked at data gathered from the Million Women Study, an ongoing research project involving women born between 1935 and 1950.
Around 776,000 participants completed a questionnaire about their mobile phone habits in 2001 and were questioned again in 2011.
The study found that there was no increased risk of brain tumours in participants who used mobile phones every day, compared to people who had never used one.
Over the 14-year follow-up period, 3,268 women went on to develop one of three kinds of brain tumour: meningioma, pituitary adenoma, and acoustic neuromas.
Looking at levels of mobile phone use, the study found no increase in risk for people who used a mobile phone daily, spoke for at least 20 minutes a week, or had used a mobile phone for more than 10 years.
The researchers did acknowledge that the study was not definitive as it only looked at women and did not feature many very heavy mobile phone users.
The researchers found no evidence to suggest that heavy users are at risk, but did advise people to use speakerphone or headphones where possible as a precaution.