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Cancer & Tumors

Mobile Phone Use and the Risk of Skin Cancer: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Denmark.

No Effects Found

Poulsen AH, Friis S, Johansen C, Jensen A, Frei P, Kjær SK, Dalton SO, Schüz J. · 2013

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Large Danish study found no increased skin cancer risk from early mobile phone use over 20 years.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Danish researchers followed 355,701 mobile phone subscribers for up to 20 years to see if cell phone use increased skin cancer rates. They found no evidence that mobile phone use raises the risk of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, or squamous cell carcinoma on the head and neck (the areas most exposed to phone radiation). This large study suggests that the radiofrequency radiation from mobile phones does not significantly increase skin cancer risk.

Why This Matters

This Danish cohort study provides reassuring evidence about mobile phone use and skin cancer risk, but it's important to understand its limitations. The study followed early mobile phone adopters from 1987-1995, when phones emitted higher power levels but were used far less frequently than today's smartphones. While the 20-year follow-up period is substantial, these users experienced much lower cumulative exposures than current heavy smartphone users who keep devices against their bodies for hours daily. The study's strength lies in its large sample size and population-based design, which reduces selection bias common in case-control studies. However, the lack of detailed exposure data means we can't determine safe usage levels or assess risks from modern usage patterns involving constant proximity to the device.

Study Details

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified radiofrequency radiation as possibly carcinogenic. Previous studies have focused on intracranial tumors, although the skin receives much radiation. In a nationwide cohort study, 355,701 private mobile phone subscribers in Denmark from 1987 to 1995 were followed up through 2007.

We calculated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell car...

We observed no overall increased risk for basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma...

In this large, population-based cohort study, little evidence of an increased skin cancer risk was observed among mobile phone users.

Cite This Study
Poulsen AH, Friis S, Johansen C, Jensen A, Frei P, Kjær SK, Dalton SO, Schüz J. (2013). Mobile Phone Use and the Risk of Skin Cancer: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Denmark. Am J Epidemiol. 2013 Jul 15;178(2):190-7.
Show BibTeX
@article{ah_2013_mobile_phone_use_and_3311,
  author = {Poulsen AH and Friis S and Johansen C and Jensen A and Frei P and Kjær SK and Dalton SO and Schüz J.},
  title = {Mobile Phone Use and the Risk of Skin Cancer: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Denmark.},
  year = {2013},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23788669/},
}
PubMed: 23788669

Cited By (21 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A large Danish study following 355,701 mobile phone users for up to 20 years found no evidence that cell phone use increases skin cancer risk. The research showed no increased rates of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, or squamous cell carcinoma on areas most exposed to phone radiation.
Danish researchers found no significant increase in melanoma risk from mobile phone use. After following phone subscribers for at least 13 years, melanoma rates on the head and neck remained similar to unexposed areas, suggesting phone radiation doesn't meaningfully impact melanoma development.
This 20-year Danish study of over 355,000 mobile phone users found no increased skin cancer risk on the face, head, or neck despite these areas receiving the most phone radiation exposure. The evidence suggests cell phone use doesn't harm facial skin significantly.
Based on Denmark's largest mobile phone study, skin cancer risks appear minimal. Researchers tracked 355,701 subscribers for two decades and found no evidence of increased basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma rates among mobile phone users compared to non-users.
A comprehensive Danish study found no increased risk of basal cell carcinoma from mobile phone use. Following phone subscribers for up to 20 years, researchers observed cancer rates that remained near normal levels, even after 13+ years of potential exposure.