Mobile phone use and risk for intracranial tumors and salivary gland tumors - A meta-analysis

Occup Med Environ Health. · 2017 · Harm · Low evidence

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HarmLow evidencePaper 2388

Twenty-four case-control studies (26,846 cases; 50,013 controls) were included. The meta-analysis reported a significantly higher risk of intracranial tumors for mobile phone use over 10 years (e.g., OR=1.324, 95% CI: 1.028–1.704) and for ipsilateral use (e.g…

Study snapshot

PublicationOccup Med Environ Health. · 2017

Study typemeta_analysis

Reported directionHarm

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

- Mobile phone use and risk for intracranial tumors and salivary gland tumors - A meta-analysis Bortkiewicz A, Gadzicka E, Szymczak W. Mobile phone use and risk for intracranial tumors and salivary gland tumors - A meta-analysis. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2017 Feb 21;30(1):27-43. doi: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.00802. Abstract Results of epidemiological studies on the association between use of mobile phone and brain cancer are ambiguous, as well as the results of 5 meta-analysis studies published to date. Since the last meta-analysis (2009), new case-control studies have been published, which theoretically could affect the conclusions on this relationship. Therefore, we decided to perform a new meta-analysis. We conducted a systematic review of multiple electronic data bases for relevant publications. The inclusion criteria were: original papers, case-control studies, published till the end of March 2014, measures of association (point estimates as odds ratio and confidence interval of the effect measured), data on individual exposure. Twenty four studies (26 846 cases, 50 013 controls) were included into the meta-analysis. A significantly higher risk of an intracranial tumor (all types) was noted for the period of mobile phone use over 10 years (odds ratio (OR) = 1.324, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.028-1.704), and for the ipsilateral location (OR = 1.249, 95% CI: 1.022-1.526). The results support the hypothesis that long-term use of mobile phone increases risk of intracranial tumors, especially in the case of ipsilateral exposure. Further studies are needed to confirm this relationship. Excerpts The results obtained in the random effects model indicated that there was a significant relationship between mobile phone use for longer than 10 years and the risk of intracranial tumors (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.07-1.98). Because OR is significantly greater than 1 (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.04-1.52), we can conclude that there is a significant relationship between the time from the first regular use of mobile phone of 10 years or more and the risk of intracranial tumors. Since OR is greater than 1 (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.06-1.57), there is a significant relationship between ipsilateral use of mobile phone and the risk of intracranial tumor. We found a significant relationship between:

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 typemeta_analysis

Effect directionharm

PopulationNot supplied

Sample size76859

ExposureRF · mobile phone use >10 years; ipsilateral use

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

intracranial tumors (all types)
salivary gland tumors

Limitations

Background notes that prior epidemiological studies and earlier meta-analyses had ambiguous results.
Included studies were limited to case-control designs and publications up to end of March 2014.

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "meta_analysis",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "mobile phone use >10 years; ipsilateral use"
  },
  "population": null,
  "sample_size": 76859,
  "outcomes": [
    "intracranial tumors (all types)",
    "salivary gland tumors"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Twenty-four case-control studies (26,846 cases; 50,013 controls) were included. The meta-analysis reported a significantly higher risk of intracranial tumors for mobile phone use over 10 years (e.g., OR=1.324, 95% CI: 1.028–1.704) and for ipsilateral use (e.g., OR=1.249, 95% CI: 1.022–1.526).",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "Background notes that prior epidemiological studies and earlier meta-analyses had ambiguous results.",
    "Included studies were limited to case-control designs and publications up to end of March 2014."
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "mobile phone",
    "radiofrequency",
    "meta-analysis",
    "case-control",
    "intracranial tumor",
    "brain cancer",
    "ipsilateral exposure",
    "long-term use",
    "salivary gland tumor"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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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: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.00802
PubMed: Not supplied

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