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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

Cellular telephone use and time trends for brain, head and neck tumours, N Z Med J. 2003 Jun 6;116(1175):U457

No Effects Found

Cook A et al · 2003

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No material increase in head and neck malignancy incidence rates was observed in New Zealand following the introduction of cellular telephones, despite theoretical differences in radiofrequency exposure across anatomical sites.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 2003 New Zealand study examined whether incidence rates of head and neck cancers changed after cellular telephones were introduced in 1987, comparing tumour trends in anatomical sites receiving high, medium, and low levels of radiofrequency radiation exposure. The study found no significant changes in tumour incidence rates in any exposure category from 1986 to 1998, including sites hypothetically receiving the highest radiation during phone use.

Cite This Study
Cook A et al (2003). Cellular telephone use and time trends for brain, head and neck tumours, N Z Med J. 2003 Jun 6;116(1175):U457.
Show BibTeX
@article{cellular_telephone_use_and_time_trends_for_brain_head_and_neck_tumours_n_z_med_j_2003_jun_61161175u457_ce1051,
  author = {Cook A et al},
  title = {Cellular telephone use and time trends for brain, head and neck tumours, N Z Med J. 2003 Jun 6;116(1175):U457},
  year = {2003},
  doi = {10.17843/rpmesp.2015.322.1627},
  
}
DOI: 10.17843/rpmesp.2015.322.1627PubMed: 12838353

Quick Questions About This Study

No, this 2003 analysis of New Zealand tumor registries found no significant increases in brain, head, or neck cancers that correlated with the rise in cellular telephone use during the 1990s and early 2000s.
The study was published in 2003, examining tumor trends during the early years of widespread cellular adoption. This timeframe may be too short to detect cancers with long latency periods of 10-20 years.
The researchers analyzed trends for brain tumors, head cancers, and neck tumors using population-based cancer registry data to look for patterns that might correlate with increasing mobile phone usage.
Early studies examined much lower usage levels and older phone technologies. Modern smartphones emit different radiation patterns and people use them far more intensively than the basic cellular phones of the 1990s.
Population studies provide important data but have limitations including cancer latency periods, changing exposure patterns, and difficulty controlling for other factors. They represent one piece of the overall scientific evidence.