Effects of 900 MHz GSM Wireless Communication Signals on DMBA-Induced Mammary Tumors in Rats.
Yu D, Shen Y, Kuster N, Fu Y, Chiang H. · 2006
View Original AbstractHigh-level cell phone radiation showed concerning trends toward increased breast cancer in rats, though results weren't statistically significant.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed 500 female rats to 900 MHz cell phone radiation (the same frequency used by GSM phones) for 4 hours daily over 26 weeks after giving them a cancer-causing chemical. While the study found no statistically significant increase in mammary tumors from RF exposure, there was a concerning trend toward higher cancer rates in rats exposed to the highest radiation levels, particularly during weeks 15-26.
Why This Matters
This study represents one of the more comprehensive animal investigations into whether cell phone radiation might accelerate tumor growth when combined with known carcinogens. The exposure levels ranged from 0.44 to 4.0 W/kg, with the highest level exceeding current safety limits for phones (2 W/kg SAR). While the researchers concluded no significant promotion of tumors occurred, the data tells a more nuanced story. The trend toward increased adenocarcinoma in the highest exposure group, particularly during the later weeks, suggests a potential dose-response relationship that larger studies might detect as statistically significant. What makes this research particularly relevant is that it models a real-world scenario where people are exposed to multiple cancer risks simultaneously. The reality is that we're not exposed to RF radiation in isolation, but alongside other environmental carcinogens, making combination studies like this especially valuable for understanding cumulative health impacts.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 4.0, 1.33, 0.44 and 0 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 900 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- 4 h/day, 5 days/week for 26 weeks.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
The purpose of the study was to investigate whether exposure to 900 MHz GSM wireless communication signals enhances mammary tumor development and growth induced by low-dose DMBA.
Five hundred female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with a single dose of 35 mg/kg DMBA and then di...
There were no statistically significant differences in body weight between sham- and GSM microwave-e...
In the present study there were significant differences between the cage controls and the experimental groups (sham and exposure). Body weight and mammary tumor (malignant plus benign) incidence in the cage control group were significantly higher than in the sham- and GSM microwave-exposed groups. The latency to the mammary tumor onset was significantly shorter in the cage control group than in the other groups.
Show BibTeX
@article{d_2006_effects_of_900_mhz_1454,
author = {Yu D and Shen Y and Kuster N and Fu Y and Chiang H.},
title = {Effects of 900 MHz GSM Wireless Communication Signals on DMBA-Induced Mammary Tumors in Rats.},
year = {2006},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16435916/},
}