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Cell Phones Do Not Cause Brain Cancer

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Cell Phones Do Not Cause Brain Cancer

Abstract
The effects of cellular phone use were examined with the attempt to find a correlation between increased brain cancer and increased cell phone use. Over the last 20 years, cellular phone use has become the primary form, and in many cases the only form, of communication. These devices use radio frequency technology to transmit and receive communications. There has been controversy around whether or not these radio frequency signals cause cancers in the brain when the devices are used and placed directly on the head. Multiple studies have not been able to prove a direct correlation between the use of cellular phones and brain cancer. Keywords: cellular phones, cancer, brain, radio frequency

Cellular Phones Do Not Cause Brain Cancer
Cellular phones became widely popular in the early 1990’s and have become a mainstream necessity to most people today. Many people now use cellular phones as their primary or only form of communication with most households abandoning traditional landline telephony. Technology has also evolved at such a tremendous pace that the majority now uses cellular devices as not only phones, but as computers as well. With the increased demand and the ability for manufacturers to reduce costs, these devices have also become more accessible and important to people of all ages, with the majority of users “in the age range of 18 to 49” (Anderson, 2015). As of 2014, “it is estimated that there are almost as many cell-phone subscriptions (6.8 billion) as there are people on this earth (seven billion) – and it took a little more than 20 years for that to happen” (Chen, 2014). Since the development of cell phones, there has been controversy surrounding whether or not the radiation emitted by these devices cause brain cancer. Multiple studies from around the world have repeatedly discredited this theory because the levels of radiation emitted from cellular phones are not sufficiently linked to cause cancer. The way cellular phones work is through radiofrequency (RF) technology. The phones transmit and receive radio waves when making and receiving calls. The waves are strongest at the antenna of the phone and become weaker and “lose energy as they travel away from the phone” (American Cancer Society, 2014). Critics site this RF technology as the source of the potential cancer causing risk. The argument that continues to be made is that RF signals are considered a carcinogen and prolonged exposure can lead to the development of cancer. In actuality, RF signals must be ionized in order to affect DNA in a manner that could cause cancer. "Ionization is a process by which electrons are stripped from atoms and molecules. This process can produce molecular changes that can lead to damage in biological tissue, including effects on DNA, the genetic material of living organisms. This process requires interaction with high levels of electromagnetic energy. Those types of electromagnetic radiation with enough energy to ionize biological material include X-radiation and gamma radiation. Therefore, X-rays and gamma rays are examples of ionizing radiation” (FCC, 2012). A cellular phone would need to generate hundreds of times more RF signals to even come close to the amount emitted by an x-ray. In fact, all cellular phones sold in the United States are required by the FCC to be labeled with a specific absorption rating (SAR), which denotes how much radiofrequency is emitted by the device. This ensures that the radio frequencies are even more within an acceptable range. There have been many studies attempting to prove the correlation between cellular phones and brain cancer. One of the most recent studies that went mainstream due to the support from a professor at UC Berkeley was in 2011 when the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as “possibly carcinogenic to humans. A panel of 31 expert scientists from 14 different countries concluded radiofrequency radiation, which is emitted by cell phones and other wireless communication devices should be placed in Group 2B alongside a fairly long list of other substances that includes lead, coffee, nickel, and gasoline” (Hill, 2015). Coffee and gasoline are two commodities that people are exposed to on a daily basis, especially the former and up to this point; the coffee industry has not been placed under the same scrutiny. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is responsible for regulating the safety of machines and devices that emit radiation, notes that “studies reporting biological changes associated with radiofrequency energy have failed to be replicated and that the majority of human epidemiologic studies have failed to show a relationship between exposure to radiofrequency energy from cell phones and health problems “(National Cancer Institute, 2013). Cellular phones are safe to the public and have not been proven to cause brain cancer. The direct correlation between the use of mobile devices and brain cancer has not been made. There has been no proof or study that even shows an increase in brain cancers in line with the growth of cell phone use in the world. The fact of the matter is that prolonged exposure to or consumption of almost anything may pose a health risk. The real danger of cellular phones that people should shift focus and energy on is the use of them while driving.

References

Anderson, M. (2015, April 1). 6 facts about Americans and their smartphones. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/01/6-facts-about-americans-and-their-smartphones/
American Cancer Society. (2014, December 12). Cellular Phones. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/cellular-phones
Chen, S. (2014, February 25). More people around the world have cell phones than ever had land-lines. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://qz.com/179897/more-people-around-the-world-have-cell-phones-than-ever-had-land-lines/
Hill, S. (2015, April 20). Is cell phone radiation actually dangerous? We asked an expert. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/can-cell-phones-cause-brain-cancer/
National Cancer Institute. (2013, June 24). Cell Phones and Cancer Risk. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet
Federal Communications Commission. OET -- RF Safety FAQ's. (2012, June 25). Retrieved November 11, 2015, from https://transition.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/rf-faqs.html

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