TITLE:
Is Long-Term Cell Phone Use Linked to Breast Cancer? A Review of the Evidence
AUTHORS:
Saddig D. Jastaniah
KEYWORDS:
Cell Phone, Breast Cancer, Microwaves
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Breast Cancer Research,
Vol.5 No.4,
September
6,
2016
ABSTRACT: Cancer
of the breast is
the second leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. The majority of
cancer of the breast cases (95%) is not hereditary. Can long-term cell phone
use be linked to breast cancer? It is unlikely that electromagnetic radiation
is involved, but it could possibly be due to the generated heat (cell phones
only occasionally transmit when people are not talking on them). Therefore, is
there any method or reported statistics that can be used to link the increasing
breast cancer incidence with cell phone use and placement? Some young women who
placed their mobile devices, including cell phones, in their bra believed that it caused their cancer because it was on the
same side and in the same area their phone was adjacent to and came into
contact with their skin for prolonged periods. This review highlights what is
known about the link between cell phone use, which continues to increase
rapidly, and breast cancer explores the association between prolonged exposure
to non-ionizing radiation from cell phones and breast cancer. In conclusion,
until more data are obtained concerning whether carrying a cell phone is associated with breast
cancer, great care should be taken to avoid any potential risks. Strenuous
efforts should be made to encourage users of cell phones to follow mobile
device manufacturers’ recommendations, and if possible, to avoid skin contact
until the potential risks, if there are any, are fully understood.