Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.
Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields have no effect on the in vivo proliferation of the 9L brain tumor.
Higashikubo R, Culbreth VO, Spitz DR, LaRegina MC, Pickard WF, Straube WL, Moros EG, Roti JL, · 1999
View Original AbstractRF radiation at cell phone levels didn't accelerate brain tumor growth in rats, but this doesn't address whether it causes tumors initially.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats with brain tumors to cell phone-like radiofrequency radiation for 4 hours daily over several months to see if the radiation would affect tumor growth. The study found no difference in survival rates between rats exposed to RF radiation and those that weren't exposed. This suggests that RF radiation at levels similar to cell phones doesn't accelerate brain tumor growth in this animal model.
Why This Matters
This 1999 study represents an important piece of the puzzle in understanding RF radiation's potential cancer-promoting effects. The researchers used exposure levels (0.75 W/kg SAR) that fall within the range of typical cell phone use, making the findings directly relevant to everyday exposure scenarios. While the study found no acceleration of existing brain tumor growth, it's crucial to understand what this does and doesn't tell us. The research examined whether RF exposure could make existing tumors grow faster, but it didn't investigate whether RF radiation could initiate new tumors in healthy tissue. The science demonstrates that cancer development and cancer promotion can be entirely different biological processes. What this means for you is that while this study provides some reassurance about RF exposure not worsening existing brain tumors, it doesn't address the broader question of whether long-term RF exposure might increase your risk of developing brain cancer in the first place.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0.75 +/- 0.25 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 835.62 MHz or 847.74 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- 4 h a day, 5 days a week
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
The intracranial 9L tumor model was used to determine if exposure to a radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic field similar to those used in cellular telephone has any effects on the growth of a central nervous system tumor
Fischer 344 rats implanted with different numbers of 9L gliosarcoma cells were exposed to 835.62 MHz...
The median survival length and final survival fraction for animals injected with 11 to 36 viable cel...
Show BibTeX
@article{r_1999_radiofrequency_electromagnetic_fields_have_3080,
author = {Higashikubo R and Culbreth VO and Spitz DR and LaRegina MC and Pickard WF and Straube WL and Moros EG and Roti JL and},
title = {Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields have no effect on the in vivo proliferation of the 9L brain tumor.},
year = {1999},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10581537/},
}Cited By (38 papers)
- Molecular responses of Jurkat T-cells to 1763 MHz radiofrequency radiationInfluential
Taiqin Huang et al. (2008) - 40 citations
- Survival and cancer in laboratory mammals exposed to radiofrequency energyInfluential
J. Elder (2003) - 29 citations
- Synopsis of IEEE Std C95.1™-2019 “IEEE Standard for Safety Levels With Respect to Human Exposure to Electric, Magnetic, and Electromagnetic Fields, 0 Hz to 300 GHz”
William H. Bailey et al. (2019) - 594 citations
- Effects of electromagnetic radiation of mobile phones on the central nervous system
K. Hossmann, D. Hermann (2003) - 309 citations
- Effects of 50 Hz electromagnetic fields on voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and their role in modulation of neuroendocrine cell proliferation and death.
C. Grassi et al. (2004) - 241 citations
- MOBILE TELEPHONES AND CANCER—A REVIEW OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
M. Kundi et al. (2004) - 185 citations
- Effect of Mobile Phone Exposure on Apoptotic Glial Cells and Status of Oxidative Stress in Rat Brain
S. Dasdag et al. (2009) - 112 citations
- RECENT ADVANCES IN RESEARCH ON RADIOFREQUENCY FIELDS AND HEALTH
Daniel Krewski et al. (2001) - 86 citations
- Radio frequency electromagnetic fields: Cancer, mutagenesis, and genotoxicity
L. Heynick et al. (2003) - 80 citations