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Cancer & Tumors

No effects of GSM-modulated 900 MHz electromagnetic fields on survival rate and spontaneous development of lymphoma in female AKR/J mice.

No Effects Found

Sommer AM, Streckert J, Bitz AK, Hansen VW, Lerchl A · 2004

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Lifelong cell phone-level radiation exposure didn't increase lymphoma rates in genetically susceptible mice, challenging direct RF-cancer promotion theories.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

German researchers exposed 320 female mice genetically programmed to develop lymphoma to cell phone-level radiation (900 MHz) 24 hours a day for their entire lives. Despite this intense exposure at levels similar to heavy cell phone use, the radiation did not increase cancer rates or affect survival compared to unexposed mice. The study suggests that radiofrequency radiation may not promote lymphoma development, even in animals already predisposed to this cancer.

Exposure Information

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

The study examined exposure from: 900 MHz Duration: 24 hours per day, 7 days per week

Study Details

Several reports indicated that non-thermal electromagnetic radiation such as from mobile phones and base stations may promote cancer. Therefore, it was investigated experimentally, whether 900 MHz electromagnetic field exposure influences lymphoma development in a mouse strain that is genetically predisposed to this disease. The AKR/J mice genome carries the AK-virus, which leads within one year to spontaneous development of thymic lymphoblastic lymphoma.

320 unrestrained female mice were sham-exposed or exposed (each n = 160 animals) to GSM like 900 MHz...

Electromagnetic field exposure had a significant effect on body weight gain, with higher values in e...

These data do not support the hypothesis that exposure to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields is a significant risk factor for developing lymphoma in a genetically predisposed species, even at a relatively high exposure level.

Cite This Study
Sommer AM, Streckert J, Bitz AK, Hansen VW, Lerchl A (2004). No effects of GSM-modulated 900 MHz electromagnetic fields on survival rate and spontaneous development of lymphoma in female AKR/J mice. BMC Cancer. 4(1):77, 2004.
Show BibTeX
@article{am_2004_no_effects_of_gsmmodulated_3410,
  author = {Sommer AM and Streckert J and Bitz AK and Hansen VW and Lerchl A},
  title = {No effects of GSM-modulated 900 MHz electromagnetic fields on survival rate and spontaneous development of lymphoma in female AKR/J mice.},
  year = {2004},
  doi = {10.1186/1471-2407-4-77},
  url = {https://bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2407-4-77},
}
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-4-77

Cited By (70 papers)

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Quick Questions About This Study

No, a 2004 German study exposed 320 female mice genetically programmed to develop lymphoma to 900 MHz radiation 24 hours daily for their entire lives. Despite this intense exposure at cell phone levels, radiation did not increase lymphoma rates or affect survival compared to unexposed mice.
Research shows lifelong GSM 900 MHz exposure does not accelerate cancer development. German scientists exposed genetically cancer-prone mice to cell phone radiation continuously throughout their lives, finding no difference in lymphoma incidence or survival rates between exposed and unexposed groups.
Mice exposed to 900 MHz GSM radiation continuously showed significantly higher body weight gain compared to unexposed mice. However, this weight difference did not correlate with increased cancer risk or reduced survival rates in the 2004 German study.
No, continuous 900 MHz exposure does not affect survival rates. German researchers found that female mice genetically programmed for lymphoma lived just as long whether exposed to cell phone-level GSM radiation 24/7 or kept unexposed throughout their entire lifespans.
The evidence suggests 900 MHz radiation is not a significant lymphoma risk factor. A comprehensive 2004 study using mice genetically predisposed to lymphoma found no increased cancer rates despite continuous exposure to GSM cell phone frequencies at relatively high levels.