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Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

Cancer & Tumors

Effects of exposure of newborn patched1 heterozygous mice to GSM, 900 MHz.

No Effects Found

Saran A, Pazzaglia S, Mancuso M, Rebessi S, Di Majo V, Tanori M, Lovisolo GA, Pinto R, Marino C. · 2007

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Even cancer-prone newborn mice showed no increased tumor risk from cell phone radiation at typical exposure levels.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed newborn mice genetically engineered to be highly susceptible to tumors to cell phone radiation (900 MHz GSM) for 30 minutes twice daily over 5 days. The exposed mice showed no increased cancer risk, no shortened lifespan, and no acceleration of tumor development compared to unexposed mice. This study suggests that brief early-life exposure to cell phone radiation at typical levels may not promote cancer development, even in genetically vulnerable subjects.

Why This Matters

This study carries particular weight because it used mice specifically bred to be cancer-prone, essentially creating a worst-case scenario for detecting any tumor-promoting effects of RF radiation. The exposure level (0.4 W/kg SAR) falls within the range of typical cell phone use, making the findings relevant to real-world exposures. However, the brief 5-day exposure window represents a significant limitation when considering long-term cancer risks from chronic EMF exposure throughout development. While this research adds to the body of studies finding no acute cancer-promoting effects from RF radiation, it doesn't address the potential cumulative impacts of years of daily exposure that characterize modern device usage patterns. The reality is that most EMF health concerns center on chronic, not acute exposure scenarios.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.4 W/kg
Source/Device
900 MHz
Exposure Duration
0.5 h/twice a day for 5 days

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.4 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 4 times higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 900 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 900 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

Patched1 heterozygous knockout mice (Ptc1+/-), an animal model of multiorgan tumorigenesis in which ionizing radiation dramatically accelerates tumor development, were used to study the potential tumorigenic effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on neonatal mice.

Two hundred Ptc1+/- mice and their wild-type siblings were enrolled in this study. Newborn mice were...

We found that RF EMFs simulating the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) did not affect th...

Thus, under the experimental conditions tested, there was no evidence of life shortening or tumorigenic effects of neonatal exposure to GSM RF radiation in a highly tumor-susceptible mouse model.

Cite This Study
Saran A, Pazzaglia S, Mancuso M, Rebessi S, Di Majo V, Tanori M, Lovisolo GA, Pinto R, Marino C. (2007). Effects of exposure of newborn patched1 heterozygous mice to GSM, 900 MHz. Radiat Res. 168(6):733-740, 2007.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_2007_effects_of_exposure_of_3363,
  author = {Saran A and Pazzaglia S and Mancuso M and Rebessi S and Di Majo V and Tanori M and Lovisolo GA and Pinto R and Marino C.},
  title = {Effects of exposure of newborn patched1 heterozygous mice to GSM, 900 MHz.},
  year = {2007},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18088186/},
}
PubMed: 18088186

Cited By (18 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2007 study found that newborn mice exposed to 900 MHz GSM radiation for 30 minutes twice daily over 5 days showed no increased cancer risk. Even genetically engineered mice highly susceptible to tumors developed no additional cancers from this early-life cell phone radiation exposure.
Research using tumor-susceptible newborn mice found that brief 900 MHz GSM radiation exposure did not shorten lifespan. The exposed mice lived just as long as unexposed mice, suggesting early-life cell phone radiation may not reduce survival even in genetically vulnerable subjects.
A study of genetically modified mice prone to cerebellar tumors found that 900 MHz GSM radiation exposure did not accelerate tumor development. The exposed mice showed no faster tumor growth or different tumor characteristics compared to unexposed control animals.
Research exposing newborn tumor-susceptible mice to 900 MHz GSM radiation found no skin cancer promotion effects. The study detected no increased cell growth in skin's basal layer and no acceleration of precancerous skin lesions typical of basal cell carcinoma development.
A 2007 study found no difference in rhabdomyosarcoma tumor development between newborn mice exposed to 900 MHz GSM radiation and unexposed controls. Even in genetically susceptible animals, early-life cell phone radiation exposure did not influence this type of muscle tumor formation.