Health aspects of wireless communication: schwannomas of the acoustic nerve and the use of mobile phones

ABSTRACT

In a recently reported study, an increased risk of acoustic neuroma (also known as schwannoma) was found among persons in Sweden with 10 or more years of mobile-phone use [1]. There was no association with use less than 10 years, nor for other measures of use such as total hours of use or total number of calls made.

REFERENCES

• 1: Lönn S, Ahlbom A, P. Hall P, and Feychting M, Mobile phone use and the risk of acoustic neuroma, Epidemiology, 15:653--659, 2004.
• 2: Howitz MF, Johansen C, Tos M, Charabi S, and Olsen JH, Incidence of vestibular schwannoma in Denmark, 1977-1995, Am J Otol., 21:690--694, 2000.
• 3: Christensen HC, Schuz J, Kosteljanetz M, Poulsen HS, Thomsen J, and Johansen C, Cellular telephone use and risk of acoustic neuroma, Am J Epidemiol., 159:277--283, 2004.
• 4: Inskip PD, Tarone RE, Hatch EE, Wilcosky TC, Shapiro WR, Selker RG, Fine HA, Black PM, Loeffler JS, and Linet MS, Cellular telephone use and brain tumors, N Engl J Med., 344:79--86, 2001.
• 5: Hardell L, Mild KH, and Carlberg M, Case-control study on the use of cellular and cordless phones and the risk for malignant brain tumours, Int J Radiat Biol., 78 :931--936, 2002.
• 6: Hardell L, Hallquist A, Mild KH, Carlberg M, Pahlson A, and Lilja A, Cellular and cordless telephones and the risk for brain tumours, Eur J Cancer Prev., 11:377--386, 2002.
• 7: Muscat JE, Malkin MG, Shore RE, Thompson S, Neugut AI, Stellman SD, and Bruce J, Handheld cellular telephones and risk of acoustic neuroma, Neurology, 58:1304--1306, 2002.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.1 Network Architecture and Design
          Subjects: Wireless communication

Additional Classification:
  J. Computer Applications
  J.3 LIFE AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
      Subjects: Health

General Terms:
Human Factors