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Cancer & Tumors209 citations

Cellular phone use and risk of benign and malignant parotid gland tumors--a nationwide case-control study.

No Effects Found

Sadetzki S, Chetrit A, Jarus-Hakak A, Cardis E, Deutch Y, Duvdevani S, Zultan A, Novikov I, Freedman L, Wolf M. · 2008

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Heavy cell phone users who hold phones directly to their heads face 58% higher tumor risk on the same side they use their phone.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Israeli researchers studied 460 people with parotid gland tumors (located near the ear) and compared their cell phone use to 1,266 healthy controls. While overall cell phone use didn't increase tumor risk, heavy users who held phones directly to their heads showed a 58% higher risk of developing tumors on the same side where they used their phone. This suggests that intensive cell phone use without hands-free devices may increase risk of tumors in glands near where the phone is held.

Study Details

The objective of this nationwide study was to assess the association between cellular phone use and development of parotid gland tumors (PGTs).

The methods were based on the international INTERPHONE study that aimed to evaluate possible adverse...

For the entire group, no increased risk of PGTs was observed for ever having been a regular cellula...

Based on the largest number of benign PGT patients reported to date, our results suggest an association between cellular phone use and PGTs.

Cite This Study
Sadetzki S, Chetrit A, Jarus-Hakak A, Cardis E, Deutch Y, Duvdevani S, Zultan A, Novikov I, Freedman L, Wolf M. (2008). Cellular phone use and risk of benign and malignant parotid gland tumors--a nationwide case-control study. Am J Epidemiol. 167(4):457-467, 2008.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2008_cellular_phone_use_and_3344,
  author = {Sadetzki S and Chetrit A and Jarus-Hakak A and Cardis E and Deutch Y and Duvdevani S and Zultan A and Novikov I and Freedman L and Wolf M.},
  title = {Cellular phone use and risk of benign and malignant parotid gland tumors--a nationwide case-control study.},
  year = {2008},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18063591/},
}
PubMed: 18063591

Cited By (209 papers)

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Quick Questions About This Study

A 2008 Israeli study found that heavy cell phone users who held phones directly to their heads showed a 58% higher risk of parotid gland tumors on the same side where they used their phone, but overall cell phone use didn't increase tumor risk.
Yes, the largest study of parotid gland tumors found heavy cell phone users developed tumors more frequently on the same side where they held their phone. The risk was 58% higher for the heaviest users without hands-free devices.
The study suggests yes. Researchers found elevated parotid gland tumor risk only among heavy users "without use of hands-free devices," indicating that keeping phones away from your head may reduce risk to these salivary glands near your ear.
Parotid gland tumors develop in the largest salivary glands located near your ears. Most are benign, but this 2008 study of 460 tumor patients found heavy cell phone use increased risk of developing these tumors by 58%.
The Israeli study found "consistently elevated risks" for heavy cell phone use in rural areas, where phones typically emit higher radiation levels to reach distant cell towers. This suggests location affects parotid gland tumor risk from phone use.