Cell Phones May Lead to Cancer

July 2008

Jul 31 2008 UPDATE –Following his advisory on the risks of cell phone use, Dr. Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC Cancer Centers, has announced plans to develop a research project focusing on the risks of long-term cell phone use.

Dr. Herberman hopes to obtain cell phone records to identify long-term users who might be at risk for health problems like brain tumors. A recent analysis of studies of people who used cell phones for 10 years or more found a "consistent pattern of increased risk" for certain tumors. Dr. Herberman has been the founding director of the Pitt cancer institute since 1985, and later became the founding director of the UPMC Cancer Centers.

Jul 23 2008 ORIGINAL ALERT – Recent findings have shown that cellular phone use may be linked to dangerous health risks, including cancer. Dr. Ronald Herberman, the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC Cancer Centers, is planning on releasing an advisory to warn 3,000 faculty and staff members about these health risks. He believes he is the first U.S. cancer center director to agree to the release of such a warning.

The warning recommends taking certain actions to reduce exposure to the electromagnetic radiation released by cell phones. These measures include limiting the length of conversations or keeping the phones far from the head by text messaging, using headsets, or using speaker phones. Furthermore, it advises that because children's developing organs are highly sensitive to exposure, they should only use cell phones in emergency cases.

The concerns over cell phone use have come partly from preliminary data of the Interphone study, a study of cell phone use and tumors in 13 countries. Although the complete findings of the study have not been released, many European countries have reported an elevated risk for certain brain tumors among long-term cell phone users, particularly on the side of the head where the phone was used. The link between cell phone use and cancer has not yet been proven, but many countries, like Canada, have already suggested limits on the use of cell phones.