Can Your Cell Phone Cause Brain Cancer?

Key Takeaways

• A major analysis from the World Health Organization of over 60 studies found no link between cell phone use and brain cancer.
• Given the ubiquity of mobile phones today, if there were even a small link, there would be an increase in brain cancer - but brain cancer rates are on the decline.
• Based on these findings, the WHO's classification of cell phones as a "possible carcinogen" will likely be reviewed.

A new systematic review commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) found no link between cell phone use and brain cancer .

Researchers found no evidence that increased exposure to radio frequencies used by cell phones and other wireless electronics causes brain cancer, even in people who spent multiple hours a day glued to their mobile phones.

Cell Phones Are Currently Classified as a ‘Possible Carcinogen' to Humans

The potential health hazards posed by cell phone radiation have been contested for some time. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified radio wave exposure as a possible carcinogen to humans in 2011.

Just last year, a regulating body in France asked Apple to stop selling iPhone 12s in France because radiation levels exceeded European restrictions.

This new analysis is the most comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the evidence on cell phones and brain cancer to date, said lead author Ken Karipidis, PhD , adjunct associate professor at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, and scientist at the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Australia's national public media service.

"This systematic review of human observational studies is based on a much larger dataset compared to that examined by the IARC, that also includes more recent and more comprehensive studies, so we can be more confident that exposure to radio waves from wireless technology is not a human health hazard," said Dr. Karipidis in a press release.

"This review really confirms what we have known for quite a while about the effects of non-ionizing radiation from cell phones and similar sources," says Timothy Rebbeck, PhD , a professor of cancer prevention at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

"I think it's clear at this point that cancer risks are not elevated from these exposures," says Dr. Rebbeck, who was not involved in the review.

What's Behind the Concern That Cell Phones May Cause Cancer?

There are two main reasons why there has been concern that mobile phones might have the potential to cause certain types of cancer or other health problems.

Cell phones emit radiation in the form of radio waves, and because cell phone use is widespread, even a small increase in cancer risk from cell phones would be concerning, given how many people use them.

Brain and central nervous system cancers have been under particular scrutiny because handheld phones are used close to the head and because ionizing radiation - a higher energy form of radiation than what cell phones emit - has been found to cause some brain cancers.

However, experts believe that the energy emitted by cell phones is too low to damage DNA. By contrast, ionizing radiation, which can come from X-rays and radon, is high frequency and high energy. This type of high energy can damage DNA, which in turn may cause genetic damage and increase the risk of cancer.

Cell Phone Use Has Skyrocketed, But Brain Cancer Incidence Has Not

How wireless technology affects health is one of the most researched health topics, said Karipidis. "Our review considered over 5,000 studies published between 1994 and 2022, of which 63 were included in the final analysis," he said.

Researchers also looked at additional data on cell phone use and cancer incidence, and performed modeling experiments.

Based on their analysis, investigators found:

• No association between long term use (use of a phone for more than 10 years) and brain cancer incidence
• No link between the amount of use - either the number of calls or the time that people spend on the phone - and brain cancer

Finally, given that there are billions of people who use a mobile phone, investigators believe that if a link existed, there would have been a rise in the rates of cancers in the brain and neck.

"So although mobile phone use skyrocketed since, I think it was 1987 that the first mobile phone came into the market, the rates of brain cancer for both men and women have remained very stable, so we've seen no increase in brain cancer," said Karipidis in the radio interview.

In the United States, the age-adjusted rates for new brain cancer and other nervous system cancer cases have been falling 1.2 percent each year on average between 2012 and 2021.

Researchers also performed simulation studies, where they modeled what cancer rates would look like if an association did exist. These models confirmed that the rates would be much higher than they currently are if there was truly an association between mobile phone use and brain cancer.

New 5G Phones Not Included in Study

Since 5G "fifth generation" phones have only recently come to market, they weren't included in the review.

Karipidis doesn't believe that omission changes the findings.

"So throughout the years, we had 1G, then 2G, 3G, 4G, and now 5G. They're just marketing names," he said.

It's basically the same technology, and in fact, some of the first phones actually exposed people to more radio waves, said Karipidis in his conversation with ABC.

Findings May Lead IARC to Review Mobile Phone's Classification as ‘Possible Carcinogen'

It's possible that the International Agency for Research on Cancer may review the categorization of mobile phones, said Karipidis in a WHO press conference about the findings.

It's important to note that though the category "possible carcinogen" may sound scary, it doesn't mean that there's a lot of evidence, he said. For example, he said, aloe vera is also considered a possible carcinogen by the agency.

The cell phone classification itself was quite controversial at the time, he added.

"A lot of people felt that maybe it shouldn't have been classified as possibly carcinogenic. I think there's enough evidence to look at this issue again," said Karipidis.

This research, in addition to other existing studies, should be enough to convince those who make the guidelines that there is no excess cancer risk, says Rebbeck.

"I don't think additional research is needed to understand the non-ionizing radiation effects on cancer," he says.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy . We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

Sources

1. Karipidis K et al. The Effect of Exposure to Radiofrequency Fields on Cancer Risk in the General and Working Population: A Systematic Review of Human Observational Studies - Part I: Most Researched Outcomes. Environment International . August 30, 2023.
2. IARC Classifies Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields as Possibly Carcinogenic to Humans. World Health Organization . May 31, 2011.
3. Temporary Withdrawal from the Market of the iPhone 12 for Non-Compliance with EU Regulation. ANFR . September 12, 2023.
4. WHO Review Finds No Link Between Mobile Phone Use and Brain Cancer. Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency . September 4, 2024.
5. Braganza MZ et al. Ionizing Radiation and the Risk of Brain and Central Nervous System Tumors: A Systematic Review. Neuro-Oncology . September 5, 2012.
6. Cell Phones and Cancer Risk. National Cancer Institute . April 4, 2024.
7. Cancer Stat Facts: Brain and Other Nervous System Cancer. National Cancer Institute . 2023.

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Becky Upham

Author

Becky Upham has been professionally involved in health and wellness for almost 20 years. She's been a race director, a recruiter for Team in Training for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a salesperson for a major pharmaceutical company, a blogger for Moogfest, a communications manager for Mission Health, a fitness instructor, and a health coach.

She majored in English at the University of North Carolina and has a master's in English writing from Hollins University.

Upham enjoys teaching cycling classes, running, reading fiction, and making playlists.

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