8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
All Topics

Cancer & Tumors

5 min read
Share:
Key Finding: 79% of 742 studies on cancer & tumors found biological effects from EMF exposure.

Of 742 studies examining cancer & tumors, 79% found measurable biological effects from EMF exposure.

Lowest Documented Effect

Research found effects on cancer & tumors at exposures as low as:

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in Context0.00002, 0.0002, 0.008Extreme Concern - 1,000 uW/m2FCC Limit - 10M uW/m2Effects observed in the No Concern rangeFCC limit is 500,000,000,000x higher than this level

Research Overview

  • -When nearly 60% of studies examining EMF exposure and cancer risk find evidence of effects, the scientific community is sending a clear signal that deserves your attention.
  • -Out of 226 peer-reviewed studies, 135 have documented associations between electromagnetic field exposure and various forms of cancer and tumor development.
  • -This isn't a handful of outlier studies or preliminary findings - this represents a substantial body of evidence spanning decades of research across multiple countries and research institutions.

When nearly 60% of studies examining EMF exposure and cancer risk find evidence of effects, the scientific community is sending a clear signal that deserves your attention. Out of 226 peer-reviewed studies, 135 have documented associations between electromagnetic field exposure and various forms of cancer and tumor development. This isn't a handful of outlier studies or preliminary findings - this represents a substantial body of evidence spanning decades of research across multiple countries and research institutions.

The evidence shows that reducing exposure duration and intensity can meaningful impact your cellular health, and that knowledge gives you the power to take practical steps that may reduce your long-term cancer risk.

The research presented in this section demonstrates significant evidence that extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) exposures can cause DNA damage and genetic alterations relevant to leukemia development.

Source: BioInitiative Working Group. BioInitiative Report: A Rationale for Biologically-based Public Exposure Standards for Electromagnetic Radiation. Edited by Cindy Sage and David O. Carpenter, BioInitiative, 2012, updated 2020. www.bioinitiative.org

Showing 742 studies

Effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) exposure on B6C3F1 mice

Unknown authors · 2015

Researchers exposed pregnant mice and their offspring to 50 Hz magnetic fields at 500 milligauss for over 15 months to study cancer and fertility effects. The exposed mice showed reduced body weight, increased leukemia rates in females (7% vs 0% in controls), and smaller reproductive organs in males. This suggests long-term power frequency EMF exposure may increase cancer risk and harm fertility.

Cancer & Tumors160 citations

Mobile phone radiation causes brain tumors and should be classified as a probable human carcinogen (2A) (review)

Unknown authors · 2015

This 2015 review by international cancer researchers analyzed multiple studies on mobile phone radiation and brain tumors. The authors concluded that radiofrequency radiation from cell phones should be classified as a 'probable human carcinogen' by international health agencies. They found consistent evidence linking long-term mobile phone use (10+ years) to increased risk of glioma and meningioma brain tumors.

Cancer & TumorsNo Effects Found

Occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields and electrical shocks and acute myeloid leukemia in four Nordic countries

Unknown authors · 2015

This large Nordic study tracked 5,409 acute myeloid leukemia cases and 27,045 controls across four countries to examine whether occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (like from power lines) or electrical shocks increases leukemia risk. The researchers found no association between either type of workplace exposure and acute myeloid leukemia development.

Validation of self-reported start year of mobile phone use in a Swedish case-control study on radiofrequency fields and acoustic neuroma risk

Unknown authors · 2015

Swedish researchers validated how accurately people remember when they first started using mobile phones by comparing self-reported dates with actual cellular network records from 207 participants. They found substantial errors in memory, with people typically misremembering their start date by several years, though both brain tumor patients and healthy controls showed similar recall problems.

Adibzadeh F et al, (January 2015) Impact of head morphology on local brain specific absorption rate from exposure to mobile phone radiation, Bioelectromagnetics. 2015 Jan;36(1):66-76. doi: 10.1002/bem.21885

Unknown authors · 2015

Researchers tested how different head shapes and sizes affect radiation absorption from cell phones using computer models of 20 different heads. They found dramatic variations in brain radiation exposure - up to 16 times higher in some people compared to others when using phones at the same power level. This suggests that standard safety testing using only generic head models may not protect everyone equally.

Paul B et al, (February 2015) Mobile phones: Time to rethink and limit usage, Indian J Public Health

Unknown authors · 2015

This 2015 Indian public health review examined the documented health effects of mobile phone radiofrequency radiation, including short-term impacts on sleep, heart rate, and blood pressure, plus long-term cancer risks. The authors called for stronger government regulations, enforcement of phone-free zones, and public education campaigns to reduce exposure.

Cancer & Tumors160 citations

Mobile phone radiation causes brain tumors and should be classified as a probable human carcinogen (2A) (review)

Unknown authors · 2015

This 2015 review examined research on mobile phone radiation and brain tumors, particularly highlighting the French CERENAT study which found increased glioma risk from long-term mobile phone use. The authors concluded that radiofrequency radiation should be reclassified as a 'probable human carcinogen' by international health agencies. The review emphasized that current evidence supports stronger cancer risk warnings for mobile phone users.

Cancer & Tumors160 citations

Mobile phone radiation causes brain tumors and should be classified as a probable human carcinogen (2A) (Review)

Unknown authors · 2015

This 2015 review analyzed multiple studies on mobile phone radiation and brain tumors, focusing on the French CERENAT study which found increased glioma risk with long-term mobile phone use. The authors concluded that radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phones should be classified as a 'probable human carcinogen' by international health agencies.

Cancer & TumorsNo Effects Found

Mobile phone use and risk of glioma: a case-control study in Korea for 2002-2007.

Yoon S, Choi JW, Lee E, Ahn H, Kim HS, Choi HD, Kim N. · 2015

Korean researchers studied 285 brain tumor patients and 285 healthy controls to investigate whether mobile phone use increases the risk of gliomas, a serious type of brain cancer. The study found no significant overall increase in brain tumor risk from mobile phone use, though there was a non-significant trend toward higher risk when people used phones on the same side of their head where the tumor developed. The researchers concluded their findings don't support the idea that mobile phones cause brain tumors, but suggested more research is needed for long-term users.

Cancer & TumorsNo Effects Found

Pituitary tumor risk in relation to mobile phone use: A case-control study.

Shrestha M, Raitanen J, Salminen T, Lahkola A, Auvinen A · 2015

Finnish researchers studied whether mobile phone use increases the risk of pituitary tumors by comparing 80 tumor patients with 240 healthy controls. They found no increased risk of pituitary tumors from mobile phone use, even after 10 years of use. However, the study had limited data on very long-term users (beyond 10 years), so questions remain about potential risks from decades of use.

Cancer & TumorsNo Effects Found

Exposure to 3G mobile phone signals does not affect the biological features of brain tumor cells.

Liu YX et al. · 2015

Researchers exposed human brain tumor cells to 3G mobile phone radiation (1950-MHz) for up to 48 hours at high power levels (SAR of 5 W/kg) to see if the radiation would promote tumor growth or change cell behavior. They found no significant effects on cell growth, gene expression, or tumor formation ability. This suggests that 3G signals at these exposure levels don't act as tumor-promoting agents in already-existing brain cancer cells.

Cancer & TumorsNo Effects Found

First epidemiological study on occupational radar exposure in the French Navy: a 26-year cohort study.

Dabouis V et al. · 2015

French researchers tracked 57,000 naval personnel over 26 years to compare death rates between those working with radar systems and those in non-radar roles. They found no increased risk of death from any cause, including cancer, among radar-exposed workers compared to unexposed personnel. This large-scale occupational study suggests that the radiofrequency radiation from naval radar systems did not significantly impact mortality rates during the study period.

Cancer & TumorsNo Effects Found

Effect of cell phone-like electromagnetic radiation on primary human thyroid cells.

Silva V et al. · 2015

Israeli researchers exposed human thyroid cells to cell phone-like radiofrequency radiation to test whether it could trigger cancer-related changes. They found no effects on cell proliferation, DNA damage markers, or stress indicators that typically signal cellular harm. This suggests that under their specific test conditions, cell phone radiation did not promote thyroid cancer development in isolated human cells.

Investigation of the effects of distance from sources on apoptosis, oxidative stress and cytosolic calcium accumulation via TRPV1 channels induced by mobile phones and Wi-Fi in breast cancer cells.

Çiğ B, Nazıroğlu M. · 2015

Researchers exposed breast cancer cells to radiation from mobile phones (900 and 1800 MHz) and Wi-Fi (2450 MHz) at various distances to see how proximity affected cellular damage. They found that radiation sources placed within 10 centimeters of the cells triggered harmful effects including oxidative stress, cell death, and calcium overload, while sources placed 20-25 centimeters away showed no significant effects. This suggests that distance from EMF sources matters significantly for cellular protection.

Pooled analysis of Swedish case-control studies during 1997 2003 and 2007-2009 on meningioma risk associated with the use of mobile and cordless phones.

Carlberg M, Hardell L. · 2015

Swedish researchers analyzed 1,625 meningioma (brain tumor) cases and 3,530 healthy controls to examine whether mobile and cordless phone use increases tumor risk. They found no overall increased risk, but heavy users who talked for more than 1,436 hours showed a 20% increased risk for mobile phones and 70% increased risk for cordless phones. The heaviest users (over 3,358 hours) had double the risk from cordless phones, suggesting prolonged exposure may contribute to these slow-growing brain tumors.

A cross-sectional case control study on genetic damage in individuals residing in the vicinity of a mobile phone base station.

Gandhi G, Kaur G, Nisar U. · 2015

Researchers studied 63 people living within 300 meters of a cell phone tower and compared their DNA damage to 28 people living farther away. They found significantly more genetic damage (DNA breaks and mutations) in the blood cells of those living near the tower, where radiation levels exceeded safety limits. Women showed more DNA damage than men, and the amount of damage correlated with how close people lived to the tower and how much they used their phones.

Cancer & Tumors109 citations

Tumor promotion by exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields below exposure limits for humans.

Lerchl A et al. · 2015

German researchers exposed mice to radiofrequency radiation at levels similar to cell phones and found significantly higher numbers of lung, liver, and lymph node tumors compared to unexposed animals. The tumor-promoting effects occurred at very low exposure levels - well below current safety limits for mobile phone users. This replication study confirms earlier findings that RF radiation may accelerate tumor growth even when it doesn't directly cause cancer.

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field induces apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells via oxidative stress.

Yang ML, Ye ZM · 2015

Researchers exposed bone cancer cells to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) at 50 Hz and 1 milliTesla for up to 3 hours. They found the EMF exposure triggered cancer cell death (apoptosis) by increasing oxidative stress and activating specific cellular pathways. This suggests ELF-EMF might have potential therapeutic applications against bone cancer, though this was only tested in laboratory cell cultures, not living organisms.

Cancer & Tumors187 citations

(2014) Mobile phone use and brain tumours in the CERENAT case-control study

Coureau et al · 2014

French researchers studied 253 glioma patients, 194 meningioma patients, and 892 healthy controls to examine mobile phone use and brain tumor risk. They found no increased risk for typical users, but heavy users (896+ hours lifetime or 18,360+ calls) showed nearly triple the risk for both tumor types. The study adds to growing evidence linking intensive mobile phone use to brain tumors.

Relationship between exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields and breast cancer risk: a meta- analysis

Unknown authors · 2014

Researchers analyzed 16 studies examining the link between extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) from power lines and appliances and breast cancer risk. The analysis found a 10% increased breast cancer risk overall, with a 25% higher risk specifically for premenopausal women. This suggests power line frequency EMF exposure may be a breast cancer risk factor, particularly for younger women.

Vijayalaxmi, Prihoda TJ, (April 2014) Mobile phones, non-ionizing radiofrequency fields and brain cancer: is there an adaptive response?, Dose Response

Unknown authors · 2014

Researchers reanalyzed the massive INTERPHONE study data and found that mobile phone users actually showed decreased brain cancer risk in most cases (24.3% lower for meningioma, 22.1% lower for glioma). They suggest this protective effect might result from an 'adaptive response' where low-level radiation exposure triggers the body's natural defense mechanisms.

Relationship between exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields and breast cancer risk: a meta- analysis

Unknown authors · 2014

This 2014 meta-analysis examined 16 case-control studies from 2000-2007 to evaluate the relationship between extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) exposure and breast cancer risk. Researchers found a 10% increased overall breast cancer risk, with pre-menopausal women showing a 25% increased risk while post-menopausal women showed no significant increase. The findings suggest ELF-EMF exposure may be a risk factor specifically for younger women.

Turner MC et al, (September 2014) Occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields and brain tumor risks in the INTEROCC study, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2014 Sep;23(9):1863-72. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-14-0102

Unknown authors · 2014

Researchers studied over 9,000 people across seven countries to examine whether occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (like those from power lines and electrical equipment) increases brain tumor risk. They found that workers with high ELF exposure in the 1-4 years before diagnosis had a 67% higher risk of glioma brain tumors. This suggests ELF fields may promote existing tumor growth rather than initiate new tumors.

Sadetzki S et al, (September 2014) The MOBI-Kids Study Protocol: Challenges in Assessing Childhood and Adolescent Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields from Wireless Telecommunication Technologies and Possible Association with Brain Tumor Risk, Front Public Health

Unknown authors · 2014

The MOBI-Kids study is a major international research project designed to investigate whether mobile phone and wireless device use increases brain tumor risk in children and teens aged 10-24. This protocol paper outlines the methodological challenges of studying EMF exposure and cancer risk in young people across 14 countries, aiming to include 1,000 brain tumor cases. The researchers describe their innovative approaches to overcome obstacles like low participation rates and complex international ethics requirements.

Learn More

For a comprehensive exploration of EMF health effects including cancer & tumors, along with practical protection strategies, explore these books by R Blank and Dr. Martin Blank.

FAQs: EMF & Cancer & Tumors

When nearly 60% of studies examining EMF exposure and cancer risk find evidence of effects, the scientific community is sending a clear signal that deserves your attention. Out of 226 peer-reviewed studies, 135 have documented associations between electromagnetic field exposure and various forms of cancer and tumor development.
The SYB Research Database includes 742 peer-reviewed studies examining the relationship between electromagnetic field exposure and cancer & tumors. These studies have been conducted by researchers worldwide and published in scientific journals. The research spans multiple decades and includes various types of EMF sources including cell phones, WiFi, power lines, and other common sources of electromagnetic radiation.
79% of the 742 studies examining cancer & tumors found measurable biological effects from EMF exposure. This means that 587 studies documented observable changes in biological systems when exposed to electromagnetic fields. The remaining 21% either found no significant effects or had inconclusive results, which is typical in scientific research where study design and exposure parameters vary.