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Cancer & Tumors245 citations

Cellular phones, cordless phones, and the risks of glioma and meningioma (Interphone Study Group, Germany).

No Effects Found

Schuz J, Bohler E, Berg G, Schlehofer B, Hettinger I, Schlaefer K, Wahrendorf J, Kunna-Grass K, Blettner M · 2006

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Ten-year cell phone users showed doubled glioma risk, highlighting why long-term exposure patterns matter more than short-term studies.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

German researchers studied 747 brain tumor patients and 1,494 healthy controls to examine whether cell phone and cordless phone use increases the risk of glioma and meningioma (two types of brain tumors). While they found no overall increased risk from phone use, people who used cell phones for 10 or more years showed a 2.2-fold higher risk of glioma, though this finding wasn't statistically definitive. The results suggest potential long-term risks that require further investigation.

Why This Matters

This German study, part of the larger Interphone project, reveals a concerning pattern that has emerged consistently in EMF research: while short-term exposure shows little effect, long-term use raises red flags. The 2.2-fold increase in glioma risk among decade-long users, though not reaching statistical significance, aligns with findings from independent research groups worldwide. What makes this particularly relevant is that participants in this 2000-2003 study were early adopters using phones with much higher radiation levels than today's devices, yet still accumulated far fewer lifetime hours than current users.

The science demonstrates that brain tumors can take 10-20 years to develop, making long-term studies like this crucial for understanding real risks. While industry-funded studies often emphasize the 'no overall risk' finding, the reality is that the long-term signal deserves serious attention, especially given that today's children will accumulate decades more exposure than these early users ever did.

Study Details

To study the cellular phones, cordless phones, and the risks of glioma and meningioma (Interphone Study Group, Germany)

The widespread use of cellular telephones has generated concern about possible adverse health effect...

Overall use of a cellular phone was not associated with brain tumor risk; the respective odds ratios...

Cite This Study
Schuz J, Bohler E, Berg G, Schlehofer B, Hettinger I, Schlaefer K, Wahrendorf J, Kunna-Grass K, Blettner M (2006). Cellular phones, cordless phones, and the risks of glioma and meningioma (Interphone Study Group, Germany). Am J Epidemiol. 163(6):512-520, 2006 .
Show BibTeX
@article{j_2006_cellular_phones_cordless_phones_3381,
  author = {Schuz J and Bohler E and Berg G and Schlehofer B and Hettinger I and Schlaefer K and Wahrendorf J and Kunna-Grass K and Blettner M},
  title = {Cellular phones, cordless phones, and the risks of glioma and meningioma (Interphone Study Group, Germany).},
  year = {2006},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16443797/},
}
PubMed: 16443797

Cited By (245 papers)

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Quick Questions About This Study

German researchers found no increased glioma risk from cordless phone use when studying 747 brain tumor patients. Unlike cell phones, cordless phones showed no association with either glioma or meningioma tumors in this 2006 study of 1,494 controls.
People using cell phones for 10+ years showed 2.2 times higher glioma risk in this German study, though results weren't statistically definitive. The researchers studied 747 brain tumor patients and called for more research on long-term users.
This German study found no increased meningioma risk from cell phone use, even among long-term users of 10+ years. Researchers compared 747 brain tumor patients with 1,494 healthy controls and found no significant association.
German researchers found no excess of temporal glioma or meningioma tumors in cell phone users compared to non-users. The study examined whether tumors occurred more frequently on the side of the head where phones were typically held.
Overall cell phone use showed no increased brain tumor risk in this German study of 1,494 people. However, researchers noted that people using phones for 10+ years may face higher glioma risk requiring further investigation.