The link between cell phone radiation and cancers has not been ruled out despite several studies finding no direct link between them. One of the most recent studies revealed the results on Friday and found a slight increase in tumor incidents among the rats that were used in the study. However, the $25 million research seems to have raised more questions than answers.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences conducted a study wherein rats were given high doses of radiation for nine hours a day for two years. They were compared with rats that were not given any radiation doses and looked at how many of them developed brain and/or heart tumors, CNN reported.
The results showed that two to three percent of male rats and one percent of female rats that received radiation developed brain tumors and none of the controlled rats. Meanwhile, two to seven percent of male rats and two percent of female rats that were irradiated developed heart tumors, while none of the controlled rats developed such tumors.
Neurosurgeon Salvatore Insinga of Northwell Health's Neuroscience Institute in New York said that the study provides unusual findings and because of that, "it may raise more questions than it answers." For instance, rats in the controlled group lived shorter than the irradiated ones, and males developed more tumors than females. In addition, their whole body received radiation so there is a question on whether they might have received too much doses.
Further studies are needed to establish cell phone radiation as a cancer risk. The second part of the research is slated to be released in 2017 and would include data from mice and rats, as well as other organs and tissue types.
While no study has pinned cell phone usage as a significant cancer-causing factor, Paul Demers, a senior scientist in prevention, screening and cancer control at Cancer Care Ontario, believes that it remains to be an important health issue, per CBC News. Given the increasing usage of cell phones and how technology is developing, people are advised to take the standard precautions. These include making calls short, using hands-free devices such as earphones, and using text messages rather than calls or video chats.