Cell Phone Risks

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The head of a major research institute on Cancer has issued a warning unprecedented its faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit the use of cellular phones because of possible risk of cancer.

The warning of Mr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, is contrary to numerous studies not to find a link between the cancer and the use of cellular phones, and a lack of public concern by the U.S. Food and Drug Hotel.

Herberman based its warning on the first unpublished data. He says he takes too long to get answers of science and he believes that people should take steps now _ especially when it comes to children.

"Really the heart of my concern is that we should not wait for a definitive study to come, but err on the side of safety rather than sorry later," said Herberman.

No other major universities in cancer research institutions have sounded an alarm on the use of cellular phones. But councils Herberman not fail to arouse concern among many users of cell phones and especially parents.

In the note he sent to about 3000 teachers and staff Wednesday, he says children should use cell phones only for emergencies because their brains are still developing.

Adults should keep the phone away from his head and use the loudspeaker or a wireless headset, he says. He even warned against the use of cell phones in public places as a bus because it exposes the other phone electromagnetic fields.

The question that concerns some scientists _ though far from a consensus _ is electromagnetic radiation, particularly its possible effects on children. It is not a major topic at conferences of specialists in brain.

A 2008 University of Utah analysis examined nine studies _ some of whom cite Herberman _ with the thousands of patients suffering from brain tumour and concludes "we found no overall increased risk of brain tumors among users of mobile phones. The potential risk of brain tumours after a long-term use of cellular phones awaits confirmation by future studies. "

Studies last year in France and Norway concluded the same thing.

"If there is a risk of these products _ and, at this stage we do not know who it is _ it is probably very low", the Food and Drug Administration says on a website of the Agency.

However, a Herberman cites "more and more of the literature connecting long-term use of cellular phones to possible adverse health effects including cancer."

"Although the evidence is still controversial, I'm convinced there are sufficient data to justify issuing a notice to share some precautionary advice on the use of cellular phones," he wrote in his memo .

An engine of the memo was Devra Lee Davis, director of the university's oncology centre of the environment.

"The question is whether you want to play Russian roulette with your brain," she said in an interview on his cell phone while using hands-free speaker phone as recommended. "Je do not know that cellphones are dangerous. But I do not know who they are safe. "

De concern are the effects were still unknown more than a decade the use of cellular phones, with some studies raise alarms, "said Davis, a former health adviser in the Clinton administration.

She said that 20 different groups have supported the view of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute has given, and authorities in England, France and India have warned children to use cellphones.

Herberman and Davis point to a huge ongoing research project known as Interphone, involving scientists in 13 countries, mainly in Europe. The results already published in journals of the project are not so alarming, but Herberman mentioning is the work not yet published.

The published research focuses on more than 5000 cases of brain tumors. The National Research Council of the USA, which is not participating in the Interphone project, in January reported that the search for brain tumour had "selection bias." This means that it relies on people with cancer to remember how often they used cellular telephones. It is not considered as the most accurate research.

The largest study, which appeared in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 2006, followed 420000 Danish cell phone users, including thousands who had used the phone for over 10 years. It found no increased risk of cancer in those who use cellular telephones.

A French study Interphone based on research and published in 2007 concluded that regular users of cellular phones had "no risk" for the three main types of tumors of the nervous system. He noted, however, that there was "the possibility of an increased risk among the heaviest users" for a type of brain tumor, but must be verified in future research.

Earlier research also found no link.

Joshua E. Muscat Penn State University who has studied cancer and cellular phones in other research projects partly funded by the industry cellular telephony, said there are at least a dozen studies that have not found the cell phone-cancer link. He said a Swedish study quoted by Herberman that support for his warning was biased and erroneous.

"We do not know mechanism by RF exposure that would cause an effect in cancer cells. We do not know what could possibly happen," said Muscat.

Cell phones emit radiofrequency energy, a type of radiation which is a form of electromagnetic radiation, according to the National Cancer Institute. While studies are underway to see if there is a link between it and tumors of the brain and central nervous system, there is no definitive link between the two, the institute says on its website.

"By all means, if a person is under an obligation they should take precautions to reduce the amount of electromagnetic radio waves through their bodies, by all means, they should do," said Dan Catena, a spokesman for the American Cancer Society. "But at the same time, we must remember there is no conclusive evidence that cell phones linked to cancer, whether tumors brain or other forms cancer. "

Joe Farren, a spokesman for CTIA-The Wireless Association, trade group for the wireless industry, said the group believes that there is a risk of misinforming the public if science is not used as a guide on the issue.

"When you look at the overwhelming majority of studies that have been peer reviewed and published in scientific journals around the world, you'll find no relationship between the use of wireless and adverse health effects," Farren said.

Frank Barnes, who chaired the January report of the National Research Council, said Wednesday that "the jury is" on how dangerous long-term use of cellular phones could be.

Speaking on his cell phone, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Colorado at Boulder said he does not take special precautions in his own phone. And he offered no specific advice for people concerned about the issue.

It is each individual to decide if nothing to be done. If people use a cell phone instead of having a land line, "May as well be reasonable for them," he said.

Susan Juffe, a 58-year-old Pittsburgh professor of special education, Herberman heard of cell phone advice on the radio earlier in the day.

"Now I am worried. It's scary," she said.

She said she thought twice about allowing its 10 years, daughter of Jayne to use the cell phone.

"I do not want to (brain cancer) and I do not want you to get it," she explained to her daughter.

Sara Loughran, 24, a PhD student at the University of Pittsburgh, sitting in a bus stop Wednesday chatting on his cell phone with his mother. She also heard the news earlier in the day, but was not as concerned.

"I think that if they gave me numbers and specific information and it is quite frightening, I would be interested," said Loughran, planning to call her mother again in a few minutes. "Without a number, it is too vague to have worked me."

Jennifer Yates reported from Pittsburgh.
Science Writer Seth Borenstein reported from Washington.
Reporter Ramit Plushnick-Masti contributed Pittsburgh and Science Writer Malcolm Ritter
contributed from New York.

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