Brain Tumor Rates Unchanged Despite Cell Phone Growth
Author: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Published: 2009/12/03 - Updated: 2026/04/24
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed, Findings
Category Topic: Communication - Related Publications
Contents: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This peer-reviewed research, originally published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, examined annual incidence rates of glioma and meningioma among adults aged 20 and older across Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, drawing on records of roughly 60,000 patients diagnosed between 1974 and 2003. Led by Isabelle Deltour, Ph.D., of the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology at the Danish Cancer Society, the researchers reported that incidence rates across the 30-year span were either stable, decreased, or continued a gradual rise that predated mobile phone use, with no detectable shift in trends between 1998 and 2003. The authors note several possible explanations, including an induction period longer than five years, a risk too small to observe at the population level, a risk confined to specific tumor subtypes or user subgroups, or no increased risk at all, making the findings a useful reference for patients, caregivers, seniors, and people with disabilities who rely heavily on mobile communication and want evidence-based context on brain tumor risk - Disabled World (DW).
- Topic Definition: Brain Tumor Incidence
Brain tumor incidence refers to the rate at which new cases of primary brain tumors - most commonly gliomas, which arise from glial tissue, and meningiomas, which form in the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord - are diagnosed within a defined population over a set period, typically expressed as cases per 100,000 people per year. Epidemiologists track incidence separately from prevalence and mortality to identify possible environmental, occupational, or behavioral risk factors, including proposed influences such as ionizing radiation, family history, and radiofrequency exposure from devices like mobile phones. Stable or predictable incidence trends across large, well-documented populations are generally interpreted as evidence against a strong, short-latency population-wide risk from a newly introduced exposure.
Introduction
No Change in Brain Tumor Incidence Since Cell Phone Usage Increased
There was no substantial change in brain tumor incidence among adults 5 to 10 years after cell phone usage sharply increased, according to a new brief communication published online December 3 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Main Content
Although cell phone use has been proposed as a risk factor for brain tumors, a biological mechanism to explain this association is not known.
Isabelle Deltour, Ph.D., of the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, in Copenhagen, and colleagues analyzed annual incidence rates of glioma and meningioma among adults aged 20 years from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Researchers identified 60,000 patients who were diagnosed with these types of brain tumors between 1974 and 2003.
The researchers found that incidence rates over this 30 year-period were stable, decreased, or continued a gradual increase that started before the introduction of cell phones. They also found no change in incidence trends in brain tumors from 1998 to 2003.
The authors say this finding may be due to one of several reasons: that the induction period relating cell phone use to brain tumors exceeds 5 years; that the increased risk in this population is too small to be observed; that the increased risk is restricted to subgroups of brain tumors or cell phone users; or that there is no increased risk.
The authors did not assess cell phone usage at the individual level during this time period, only brain tumor incidence.
"Because of the high prevalence of mobile phone exposure in this population and worldwide, longer follow-up of time trends in brain tumor incidence rates are warranted," the authors write.
Contacts
Danish Cancer Society: Helle Falborg, +45 35257520
STUK - Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority: Riikka Laitinen-Sorvari.
Karolinska Institutet: Katarina Sternudd, 08-524 838 95,
Norwegian Protection Radiation Authority Dag Fedoy, +47 67162550
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: While this Nordic analysis offers reassuring population-level data through 2003, the authors themselves caution that longer follow-up is warranted given how quickly mobile phone adoption has spread since the study period. Readers weighing personal risk - particularly heavy users, parents of young users, and individuals already managing health conditions - should view these findings as one piece of a still-developing evidence base rather than a final verdict, and continue to watch for updated cohort studies that track usage habits at the individual level - Disabled World (DW).Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Journal of the National Cancer Institute and published on 2009/12/03, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.