Mobile phone use and trends in the incidence of cancers of the parotid and other salivary glands

Cancer epidemiology · 2021 · No effect · Low evidence

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No effectLow evidencePaper 1142

Study snapshot

PublicationCancer epidemiology · 2021

Study typeecological

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Mobile phone use and trends in the incidence of cancers of the parotid and other salivary glands Ken Karipidis, Rohan Mate, Masoumeh Sanagou, Chris Brzozek, David Urban, Mark Elwood. Mobile phone use and trends in the incidence of cancers of the parotid and other salivary glands. Cancer Epidemiol. 2021 May 18;73:101961. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2021.101961. Highlights • Adult parotid gland cancer in Australia since 2006 has decreased in males and increased in females. • The incidence of other salivary gland cancers has remained stable. • Mobile phone use is unlikely related to the incidence of salivary gland cancers. • The increase in female parotid gland cancer may be attributed to possible risk factors specific to this gender. Abstract Background: There has been a significant increase in the use of mobile phones over the last three decades and a possible association with head cancers has been suggested, including cancers of the parotid and other salivary glands. We examined the incidence time trends of parotid and other salivary gland cancers in Australia to ascertain the influence of increased mobile phone use. Methods: Analyses of incidence time trends were carried out using Poisson regression to estimate the annual percentage change (APC) in the incidence of salivary gland cancers of all available national registration data from 1982 to 2016, as well as specific time periods (1982-1993, 1994-2005, 2006-2016) representing changes in the prevalence of mobile phone use. Results: The incidence of parotid gland cancer was stable for the periods 1982-1993 and 1994-2005. During 2006-2016 there was a large decrease in parotid gland cancer for males (APC: -3.71, 95 %CI: -6.66 to -0.67) and a large increase in females (4.80, 1.77-7.91) for adults aged 20-59 years. The incidence for other salivary gland cancers was stable during all the periods. Conclusions: The results do not indicate that mobile phone use increased the incidence of parotid or other salivary gland cancers. An increase in parotid gland cancer in females since 2006 may be attributed to other possible risk factors specific to this gender. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Excerpts Several epidemiological studies have generally not found an association between mobile phone use and parotid gland tumours [2]. However, a recent meta-analysis of three case-control studies reported a small increase in the risk [3].... In conclusion, these results do not indicate that mobile phone use increased the incidence of parotid or other salivary gland cancers. An increase in cancer of the parotid gland in females since 2006 may be attributed to possible risk factors specific to this gender. Our study is an ecological observational investigation and its interpretation has to be cautious. These results highlight the need for further research on possible risk factors for parotid gland cancer. Better understanding of the aetiology of the disease may reveal opportunities for public health strategies to reduce the rising incidence in females. My note: Although I agree that more research is needed, since the authors did not study mobile phone use, they have no basis for ruling this out as a possible risk factor for the increased incidence of parotid gland tumors observed in females.

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeecological

Effect directionno_effect

PopulationAustralia; adults (including subgroup aged 20–59 years)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureRF · Population-level changes in prevalence of mobile phone use across periods (1982-1993, 1994-2005, 2006-2016)

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Using Australian national cancer registration data (1982–2016), parotid gland cancer incidence was stable in 1982–1993 and 1994–2005; in 2006–2016 it decreased in males and increased in females aged 20–59 years. Incidence of other salivary gland cancers was stable across all periods. Authors conclude the trends do not indicate increased mobile phone use increased incidence of parotid or other salivary gland cancers.

Outcomes measured

Incidence trends of parotid gland cancer
Incidence trends of other salivary gland cancers

Limitations

Ecological observational design; exposure (mobile phone use) not measured at the individual level
Potential confounding by other time-varying risk factors; authors suggest possible gender-specific risk factors for female increase
Interpretation requires caution (as stated by authors)

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "ecological",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "Population-level changes in prevalence of mobile phone use across periods (1982-1993, 1994-2005, 2006-2016)"
  },
  "population": "Australia; adults (including subgroup aged 20–59 years)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Incidence trends of parotid gland cancer",
    "Incidence trends of other salivary gland cancers"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Using Australian national cancer registration data (1982–2016), parotid gland cancer incidence was stable in 1982–1993 and 1994–2005; in 2006–2016 it decreased in males and increased in females aged 20–59 years. Incidence of other salivary gland cancers was stable across all periods. Authors conclude the trends do not indicate increased mobile phone use increased incidence of parotid or other salivary gland cancers.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "Ecological observational design; exposure (mobile phone use) not measured at the individual level",
    "Potential confounding by other time-varying risk factors; authors suggest possible gender-specific risk factors for female increase",
    "Interpretation requires caution (as stated by authors)"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "mobile phone",
    "RF exposure",
    "parotid gland cancer",
    "salivary gland cancer",
    "incidence trends",
    "Australia",
    "Poisson regression",
    "annual percentage change",
    "ecological study"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "mobile-phones-and-cancer",
      "weight": 0.9,
      "reason": "Assesses cancer incidence trends in relation to increased mobile phone use."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2021.101961
PubMed: 34020314

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