There is no evidence that mobile phone use increases the risk of brain cancer.

A new review by the World Health Organization (WHO), which looked at studies from around the world, concluded that despite the widespread use of wireless technology, cases of brain cancer have not increased.

The findings, published in the journal Environment International, also apply to people who frequently make long phone calls or have been using mobile phones for more than a decade.

The review analysed 63 studies conducted between 1994 and 2022. The research team included 11 experts from 10 different countries, including representatives from the Radiation Protection Authority of Australia.

The study focused on the effects of radiofrequency, which is used not only in mobile phones but also in devices such as televisions, baby monitors and radar.

According to Mark Elwood, co-author of the study and a professor of cancer epidemiology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, no increased risk of cancer appeared in any of the major regions studied.

The review examined a variety of cancers, including cancers affecting the brain in both adults and children, as well as cancers of the pituitary gland, salivary glands and leukemia.

It also looked at potential risks related to mobile phone use, base stations, transmitters and exposure in the work environment. Findings related to other types of cancer will be reported separately.

According to study researchers Sarah Loughran and Ken Karipidis, who wrote in The Conversation, “Overall, the results are very reassuring. They imply that our national and international safety limits are protective. Mobile phones emit radio waves at levels well below these safety limits, and there is no evidence that exposure to them has any effects on human health.”

previous research

This review is consistent with previous research. The WHO and other international health organisations have previously said there is no conclusive evidence linking mobile phone radiation to health problems, although they have recommended further research.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) currently classifies mobile phone radiation as “probably carcinogenic”, or class 2B, meaning a possible link cannot be completely ruled out.

Due to new data available since IARC’s last evaluation in 2011, the agency’s advisory group has recommended that this classification be reevaluated.

WHO is expected to release its updated assessment in the first quarter of next year.