No Significant Link Between Electromagnetic Waves and Cancer
If Concerned About Electromagnetic Waves, Keep Your Device at a Distance
As it has become common for people to use their mobile phones right up until they fall asleep, often leaving the device next to their pillow, debates have continued over whether electromagnetic waves from phones can cause cancer. However, the latest research has found no clear link between mobile phone electromagnetic waves and cancer incidence.
Recently, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) of Korea, in collaboration with Japanese researchers, conducted a large-scale international joint animal study. The results showed that long-term exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phones did not have a significant impact on the development of brain or heart tumors. These findings were published in the international journal Toxicological Sciences.
This study was conducted to re-examine the results of an animal experiment announced in 2018 by the United States National Toxicology Program (NTP). At the time, the NTP reported an increase in certain tumors in male rats that were exposed to 900 MHz CDMA electromagnetic waves throughout their lives, sparking controversy. The World Health Organization (WHO) and others recommended further verification of the reproducibility and validity of the study.
In response, Korean and Japanese researchers have conducted a joint experiment under the same conditions since 2019. They exposed 210 mice to electromagnetic waves at intensities that form the basis of international human protection standards, 24 hours a day, for two years (104 weeks). This exposure level is much higher than typical mobile phone usage environments.
The experiment was divided into three groups: an electromagnetic wave exposure group, a sham-exposed group, and a control group. Researchers conducted precise analyses of body weight, body temperature, food intake, survival rate, and tumor incidence. As a result, no statistically significant difference in tumor incidence was found in major organs such as the brain, heart, and adrenal glands between the exposure and control groups. In fact, in some cases, the survival rate was relatively higher in the electromagnetic wave exposure group.
Ahn Younghwan, professor at Ajou University School of Medicine and lead researcher, said, "At exposure levels that serve as the basis for human protection standards, the previously reported tumor effects were not reproduced," adding, "This may help alleviate excessive anxiety about mobile phone electromagnetic waves." However, he also cautioned, "These results do not completely rule out all health effects of electromagnetic waves," and advised that further research reflecting various communication environments, such as 4G and 5G, is needed.
Additionally, according to the latest national cancer registration statistics released by the National Cancer Center, the number of annual cases of brain and central nervous system cancer is about 1,700 to 2,000. The incidence rate is approximately four per 100,000 people. Although the number of smartphone users has increased significantly over the past decade as smartphone use became widespread, statistical data does not show any clear trend of brain tumors rising sharply in proportion.
Similarly, in a large-scale cohort study conducted by a research team at the University of Oxford in 2022, no statistically significant increase in the risk of brain tumors was found when comparing the frequency and duration of mobile phone use.
However, for those concerned about electromagnetic wave exposure, maintaining physical distance from devices is an option. According to the National Radio Research Agency, keeping devices a certain distance away from the body significantly reduces exposure compared to using them while pressed against the body. Using earphones or speakerphone during calls can also reduce direct exposure to the head. In places with weak signals, such as underground spaces or elevators, devices may operate at higher output, so it is advisable to avoid long calls in such environments.
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