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Intracranial Distribution of Gliomas in Relation to Mobile Phone Exposure: Analyses From the INTERPHONE Study

2016 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 1422

Using a 3-dimensional point process model in a case-only analysis of 792 regular mobile phone users with glioma, the intracranial distribution of gliomas was statistically significantly associated with the self-reported location/side of phone use, with more t…

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2016
Study typecase_control
Reported directionMixed
Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Intracranial Distribution of Gliomas in Relation to Mobile Phone Exposure: Analyses From the INTERPHONE Study Grell, K., Frederiksen, K., Schutz, J., Cardis, E., Armstrong, B., Siemiatycki, J., Krewski, D. R., McBride, M. L., Johansen, C.,Auvinen, A., Hours, M., Blettner, M., Sadetzki, S., Lagorio, S., Yamaguchi, N., Woodward, A., Tynes, T., Feychting, M., Fleming, S. J., Swerdlow, A. J., Andersen, P. K. The Intracranial Distribution of Gliomas in Relation to Exposure From Mobile Phones: Analyses From the INTERPHONE Study. Am J Epidemiol 2016 0: p. kww082v1-11. Abstract When investigating the association between brain tumors and use of mobile telephones, accurate data on tumor position are essential, due to the highly localized absorption of energy in the human brain from the radio- frequency fields emitted. We used a point process model to investigate this association using information that included tumor localization data from the INTERPHONE Study (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Our main analysis included 792 regular mobile phone users diagnosed with a glioma between 2000 and 2004. Similar to earlier results, we found a statistically significant association between the intracranial distribution of gliomas and the self-reported location of the phone. When we accounted for the preferred side of the head not being exclusively used for all mobile phone calls, the results were similar. The association was independent of the cumulative call time and cumulative number of calls. However, our model used reported side of mobile phone use, which is potentially influenced by recall bias. The point process method provides an alternative to previously used epidemiologic research designs when one is including localization in the investigation of brain tumors and mobile phone use. Excerpts ... the INTERPHONE Study (6) ... is the largest investigation of mobile phone use and brain tumors to have been carried out to date. INTERPHONE observed no increased glioma risk in mobile phone users except for the decile with the highest reported cumulative call time (>1,640 hours), with uncertain interpretation (6). ... increased occurrence of tumors in the part of the brain closest to the phone would be expected if there were a causal association. ... our aim was to use the 3-dimensional point process model of Grell et al. (31) to analyze the INTERPHONE localization data for glioma and thereby further investigate the association between glioma and mobile phone use. Our use of a case-only approach removed possible differential bias between cases and controls ... Overall, levels of use were low compared with today's levels due to the period of data collection, 2000-2004, when mobile phones were less common. The 3-dimensional distribution of gliomas within the brain was skewed towards the self-reported preferred ear for mobile phone use. Our results concur with the observation of a statistically significant excess of gliomas on the self-reported side of mobile phone use (28). Taken together, our results suggest that ever using a mobile phone regularly is associated with glioma localization in the sense that more gliomas occurred closer to the ear on the side of the head where the mobile phone was reported to have been used the most. However, this trend was not related to amount of mobile phone use, making it less likely that the association observed is caused by a relationship between mobile phone use and cancer risk. We cannot draw firm conclusions about cause and effect, but our approach has several strengths in comparison with traditional epidemiologic approaches. Our results may have been affected by recall bias in the reported side of phone use. Nevertheless, it provides an alternative for future research related to mobile phone use. aje.oxfordjournals.org

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 typecase_control
Effect directionmixed
PopulationRegular mobile phone users diagnosed with glioma in INTERPHONE Study countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, UK), 2000–2004
Sample size792
ExposureRF · regular use; cumulative call time and cumulative number of calls assessed (2000–2004 period)
Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: unknown

Main findings

Using a 3-dimensional point process model in a case-only analysis of 792 regular mobile phone users with glioma, the intracranial distribution of gliomas was statistically significantly associated with the self-reported location/side of phone use, with more tumors occurring closer to the ear on the reported preferred side. The association was reported as independent of cumulative call time and cumulative number of calls, and the authors note potential influence of recall bias and that the lack of relation to amount of use makes a causal interpretation less likely.

Outcomes measured

  • Intracranial distribution/localization of gliomas relative to self-reported side/ear of mobile phone use

Limitations

  • Reported side of mobile phone use may be influenced by recall bias
  • Levels of use were low compared with today because data collection was 2000–2004
  • Authors state they cannot draw firm conclusions about cause and effect
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "case_control",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "regular use; cumulative call time and cumulative number of calls assessed (2000–2004 period)"
  },
  "population": "Regular mobile phone users diagnosed with glioma in INTERPHONE Study countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, UK), 2000–2004",
  "sample_size": 792,
  "outcomes": [
    "Intracranial distribution/localization of gliomas relative to self-reported side/ear of mobile phone use"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Using a 3-dimensional point process model in a case-only analysis of 792 regular mobile phone users with glioma, the intracranial distribution of gliomas was statistically significantly associated with the self-reported location/side of phone use, with more tumors occurring closer to the ear on the reported preferred side. The association was reported as independent of cumulative call time and cumulative number of calls, and the authors note potential influence of recall bias and that the lack of relation to amount of use makes a causal interpretation less likely.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Reported side of mobile phone use may be influenced by recall bias",
    "Levels of use were low compared with today because data collection was 2000–2004",
    "Authors state they cannot draw firm conclusions about cause and effect"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "unknown",
  "keywords": [
    "glioma",
    "brain tumors",
    "intracranial distribution",
    "tumor localization",
    "mobile phone",
    "radiofrequency fields",
    "INTERPHONE",
    "point process model",
    "case-only analysis",
    "laterality"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "mobile-phones-brain-tumors",
      "weight": 0.95,
      "reason": "Analyzes glioma localization in relation to mobile phone use within INTERPHONE."
    }
  ]
}
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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: Not supplied
PubMed: Not supplied

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