Cell Phones and Brain Cancer: No Link for Now

February 22, 2011

Cell Phones and Brain Cancer: No Link for Now

Much like the armies of the world united in the face of World War II, researchers are coming together from across the globe in the fight against a new possible enemy: the cell phone. As innocent looking as this ever-evolving technological device is, concern is growing over whether or not extended use of this household item is a source of brain cancer. As of right now, a majority of research declares that there is no link between cell phones and brain cancer. Surely this comes as a relief to the millions of users who spend hours on their phone everyday, but it is not time to rest easy just yet. The true impact of cell phones on the body wont be known at least for another decade or so.

Researchers, as well as the public, have the right to be concerned. With over 108 million cell phone users in the United States alone and 46,000 more people joining that number everyday (Nelson), usage of cellular phones and cellular devices is at an all time high. The United States isn’t alone, though. In the country of Denmark half of its total households own a cell phone. The number of households with a cell phone is even greater in Sweden and Finland (Nelson). What does all this mean? If there was a link found between the two, scientists and researchers would have a global issue in their hands. “It seems worth doing everything we can to verify that this new technology is safe,” says David Savitz, Ph.D., University of North Carolina and member of National Cancer Institute’s Board of Scientific Counselors (Nelson).

What has many people concerned is the widely recognized fact that cellular devices do release a weak emission of radiation known as radio frequency energy (or RF) through the phone’s antenna (III). Exposure to RF “has not been consistently found to cause health problems” according to David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine. Mostly because the level of RF released is so low. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulate RF by setting standards and measuring the amount of radiation released in Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). This device measures the amount of energy that is absorbed by the human body. The FDA and FCC set the standard of SAR by permitting 1.6 watts per kilogram of energy to be released (III). The FCC declares this amount to be much lower then “the level to cause any changes in laboratory animals” (III). The FCC requires every phone manufacturer to report the level of RF exposure of each phone model as well. By keeping a records and setting limits, the FDA and FCC are trying to stay on top of the matter and protect users.

Although the word “radiation” always raises a red flag, radio frequency energy is a form of nonionizing radiation. Unlike its counterpart ionizing radiation, the form of radiation commonly found in X-ray machines and such, nonionizing radiation has been shown in studies not to pose a cancer risk. This is because unlike its meaner, uglier brother, nonionizing radiation cannot breakdown chemical bonds (Nelson). There is also not enough warming of the brain tissues to be a cause for concern. Lastly, no ionization in the human body occurs when exposed (World Health Organization).

All this is very good news to most, but there are still some skeptics out there. “I fear that we will see a tsunami of brain tumors although its too early to see tat now since the tumors have a 30 year-latency,” Lloyd Morgan says. “I pray I’m wrong, but brace yourself,” he continues. As the author of a study issued by the International Electromagnetic Field Collaborative, Morgan notes that 43 scientists from 13 countries have endorsed his report “refuting the methodology of a forthcoming industry-funded study” (Gutierrez). Morgan’s study is one put on by Swedish scientists that found a 420% higher risk of brain cancer among people who start using cellular phones while teenagers. The report states “children are especially vulnerable to radiation” (Gutierrez).

The study does a good job of scaring people, but not much is there to back it up. Although scientists like Robert Park, Ph.D, University of Maryland, admit that there are shortcomings, he believes that one reasonable conclusion can be drawn from recent studies; RF exposure from cell phones does lead to the growth of a pre existing tumor or brain lesion (Nelson). A study performed by INTERPHONE pooled information together from 13 participating countries and it’s results showed no increase of glioma or meningioma with mobile phone use of more then ten years. Park believes that it could take up to 20 years for any visible effects to be seen, but the INTERPHONE still shows promise for users.

The long-term effects of RF exposure to the brain are still unclear, but the short-term effects are agreed upon across the board. At the RF frequencies used by mobile phones, most of the energy produced is absorbed by a person’s skin. This absorption results in little warming of the temperature of the brain or any other organs (World Health Organization). There is also no evidence that supports a link between RF exposure and lessened cognitive function or sleep or a rise in heart rate and blood pressure.

The question of the hour is isn’t about warming tissues or cognitive functioning, though. Instead it is this: What can people do to protect themselves just in case a link arises years down the road? For one, a person can do their best to avoid the phone’s antenna. In many cases this is hard considering newer versions of phones carry the antenna in the phone itself unlike in previous years (remember that long obnoxious rod that made carrying a phone tricky at times?). This means the antenna is typically held against the side of the users head. The closer the antenna, the greater the person’s exposure to RF energy the National Cancer Institute states. The father a cell phone is from a cell station also affects the level of energy released. The farther the phone is from a base station the more power is needed to make and maintain a connection. In simpler terms: the more cell service, the better. There are other factors that come into play as well. The amount and duration of calls made or received, the amount of cell traffic at the given time, the size of the phone and whether or not a hands-free device is used (National Cancer Institute).

Time will only tell if people need fear, but for now users of cellular devices and cell phones are safe; there is no concrete link between brain cancer and cell phones. Making room for self-monitoring and a hint of gut feeling, this outcome still has some in a tizzy. Will cell phone be found to cause cancer? Will all this controversy and drama turn out to be a scare? Time will only tell. In the meantime, though, feel free to make that call to Grandma and continue connecting with the world.




Works Cited

III, David C. Dugdale. Cell Phones - Do They Cause Cancer? 26 August 2010. 15 February 2011 .

Gutierrez, David. Cell Phones Cause Brain Cancer, Scientists Warn. 2 February 2010. 15 February 2011 .

National Cancer Institute. Cell Phones and Cancer Risk. 19 May 2010. 15 February 2011 .

World Health Organization. Electromagnetic Fields & Public Health: Mobile Phones. May 2010. 15 February 2011 .

Research Review

Although it was difficult and at times got to be what seemed a little much, I am really glad that the class was assigned a research paper of such magnitude. It required a lot of work between the research, accessing of each source, the citing of sources, actual writing, revisions, and then our additional presentation project, but in the end it was worth it. Why? Because I actually learned something. Not only did I learn that cell phones do not cause brain cancer, I also learned how to correctly write a research paper. Correctly is the key word. In my classes through out the years, teachers have assigned papers, but never ones that require so much, especially in the source department.

There is so much that goes into a good research paper and I am glad that I have finally taken the opportunity to learn how to do it! Finally! I know that next year when I am at school I am going to have to do A LOT of writing and I am going to have to do it correctly. I feel like I am prepared to do that now thanks to this paper. I am more confident in the fact that I can succeed next year now :)

Integrity.

If I had been asked two years ago what integrity was, I wouldn’t have been able to give my inquirer a straight answer. I could have babbled on for a few minutes, created a thin answer supported by dictionary definitions and past literature I had read, but I would have crashed and burned all the same. A whole lot can change in two years though. A girl can go from boy obsessed to knowing that a good friend is better then a cute boy any day of the week. She can realize that the world doesn’t revolve around her and she can build up some life experiences from which to pull lessons from when tough questions are asked.
This “experience” I am referring to is just that. It was a time of trial in my life where I had to face opposition, challenge leadership and do so with integrity and respect. The issue began this fall, about halfway through the 2010 football cheerleading season. I felt bad to be doing so, but I had begun to question both the leadership and ethics of my coach. Was it really necessary for her to spout tremendously negative criticisms all practice with no positive comments to go along with? Was it really okay for my teammates and I to leave practice crying, angry, and with sour dispositions? Was it okay to stop sleeping the night before practice and to come up with reasons to stay home the next day? I asked myself these questions plus more and soon I found out that 11 out of the 14 girls that made up our squad were feeling the same way I was.
But what could we do? She was our coach, our leader, our teacher, and our supposed role model. At the time, it felt like nothing. I felt emotionally drained, stressed and my other relationships were suffering but my hands were tied. She was the coach and she made the rules. I have never been one to take things like such lying down though. I knew in my heart that something had to be done and I couldn’t just stand in the corner and act like nothing was happening.
What I, with my teammates right beside me, was about to do can best be illustrated with the notion of a prince going into a dragon’s den with no armor and a wooden sword. I was going to approach her. I knew I would feel better after, but it wasn’t going to be an easy moment. No one likes being told that they are in the wrong, it is human nature. She was going to be angry; there was no doubt about that. I didn’t want to poke the “dragon” with my poorly made, ill-qualified, wooden sword, but it had to be done. I was worried practices would become even more tense and horrid and that she wouldn’t change despite our pleas. Mostly though, I feared that I would fail. I wouldn’t just be taking myself down though. I would be hurting the girls that were so much more to me then just teammates. They were, and they are, my friends, my sisters.
I’m glad I wasn’t alone in my dilemma. Almost all of the girls on the squad felt the same way and most of them were willing to confront her about it. Prior to our meeting with her, the girls and I had an informal meeting at my house to get everything out in the open so that we could figure out how to approach this delicate subject. It was at that “mini meeting” that we was decided as a team to face the issue head on.
We decided to have a meeting with our coach and have our athletic director present and as we had all predicted, she was not happy. We tried our hardest to present our “case” in a respectful matter but she felt attacked. It was then that my realization of what integrity was occurred. We had the right to be treated fairly and the integrity to reclaim that right, but she had integrity of her own. She wasn’t going to let 11 teenage girls tell her that she, and her 20 plus years of experience, were wrong. We concluded the meeting with a compromise. We would work harder if she promised to help us make cheerleading fun again. Slowly but surely she did. So much so that the fans at football games begin to notice the reappearance of our smiles and the fact that we cheered with enthusiasm once again.
During the month or so after that, the “dragon” did reappear on occasion. But we needed her to tear us down so that we could build ourselves back up and that is exactly what we did. We built ourselves up so high that we placed 5th out of 12 very competitive teams at this year’s state cheerleading competition! It was the first time Van Meter Community High School had ever placed at state and I got to be a part of that. Though the future hadn’t always been so bright, our story had a happy ending after all.
To an outsider this whole experience might appear trivial, a silly tiff among cheerleaders, whose stereotype already paints us to be dramatic, but for myself and those involved, this experience was so much more. It taught me how important it is that I stand up for myself and that in order to achieve anything in life, obstacles have to be overcome. Most importantly though, this whole experience has taught me what integrity is. Two years ago I had no true sense of the word. Now I am able to come up with a definition all my own:

Integrity (n): The necessity in holding one self’s head high, the valuing of honesty, the respecting of another, the following the moral values instilled within ones self, the desire to right what has been wronged.

I'm Dreaming of a Guilty Christmas? :(

Christmas is exactly 23 days away. That gives me about 2.3 days to make a Christmas list and send it via text email or phone to my family. But this year I feel just too guilty to make that list. Christmas is supposed to be about spending time with family and being thankful for all the great things I have in my life but here I am making a christmas list? I am creating a list of "wants" when I really have everything that I need! I have a family who supports me in everything that I do, I have a boyfriend who makes it his business to make me happy, I have a place to call home with a furnace that I can warm my feet upon and I have an abundance of people in my life who make me happy. I am so happy and so lucky that making a list out of superficial things like a new a fuzzy black coat or a pair of dark skinny jeans seems like a slap in the face to all the things that I have. I mean is that pair of jeans going to make or break me? No, but losing someone close to would rattle me surely. Because people are what matter to me! Not things. I don't need things, I need love!

But now I am just being hypocritical. Because I am really going to open that coat and act like I am not in love? No, because knowing my stepmom's taste, I will be and I mean madly! So what do I do? Do I dedicate my Christmas to help starving kids or saving the planet? Or do I just accept my gifts knowing that people are giving them to me because they love me? Knowing myself, I will probably get past my quilt rather quickly when I stuff my feet into some boots, but until then I am just putting off the making of this list. Who knows, maybe I an come up with a bright idea by stalling. Maybe?

Choir Fest :)

Yesterday was the day of the All Conference Choir Festival, Choir Fest for short. I had begrudgingly waited for a week for the day to arrive and when it finally did I was in foul spirits. I tried everything I could to avoid it even going so far as bribery. “Mommmmmmmmm!” I whined, “Can I please just forget to set my alarm?” I asked as I crawled into bed Monday night, her answer was a less then loving eye roll and a “go to bed”. The next morning I tried again saying “If I can stay home I will clean the house!” but still, she wouldn’t take the bait. I had no choice, I had to go to Choir Fest.

Why was I dreading it so much? As far as I was concerned it was going to be boring and about as awful as visit to the dentist where you discover that you have a cavity the size of Jupiter. I had been to previous Choir Fests in the past and each and every time I had almost fallen asleep of fainted from heat stroke (400 kids in one gym equals about 400 furnaces set to high in one room). I hadn’t had any fun and why would I want to do something where I wasn’t having fun? I definitely did not. I would have rather gone to school and that says a lot.

As I said though, I had to go. My mother had revoked my constitutional rights and I was doomed to spend 8 hours of my day and night singing until my throat hurt. So I walked onto the bus, took a seat by some of my fellow choir kids and away I went. Something strange happened though between the time I got on the bus to go to Guthrie Center and when I got off back home in good ol’ Van Meter: I had actually had some fun. Not jumping around in a bouncy house sort of fun, but it still counted! I hadn’t wanted to crawl under the bleachers and take a nap more then once and I hadn’t sat frowning continuously all day like I had assumed I would. I had sung better then I ever had before and I had laughed out loud throughout the day! All in all, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had assumed it would be.

I learned an important lesson from my experience with Choir Fest. Things can surprise you. People can surprise you. Experiences can surprise you! Therefore, having a negative attitude gets you nowhere. Its better to approach whatever you do with a smile and good vibes in your belly. Something I am going to try my hardest to do from now on! ☺

Memories :)

I cheered my last sporting event ever this week. It wasn’t the last time that I was to put on my uniform and adorn my hair with my bow (that will come this Saturday), but I felt the impact of that moment all the same. I didn’t cry, I didn’t make a scene, I just stood there; and remembered. I remembered how when I was a sophomore I was as pale as a ghost and as loud as a firework. I remembered how happy I was performing on the UNI Dome field as a part of Honor Squad and how excited I was to throw a basket toss with two of the funniest girls I have ever met. I remembered how cold it was last year and how Ben and Nic would turn around and make fun of my very red and very frozen nose. Most of all though, I remembered all the times spent with my favorite people: the girls I cheered with.
Sometimes we fought, sometimes we got cranky but it never lasted because more often then not someone would do something dumb and we would all start laughing as if nothing had ever torn us apart in the first place. We are the girls who made “dike” an affectionate term. I fell on my ass with these girls. I have laughed until I have cried with them and shared pretty much every boy drama I have ever had with them. Not one of them knows how much each of them mean to me. Then is when I started tearing up. Not because I was no longer a cheerleader though, but because I have made more memories as a cheerleader then during any other time in my life. I’ll always have those memories, even when the uniform is gone. :)

Ready or Not, Here Goes Nothing!

I'm a definite night owl who can hardly function before 8 am. I tend to relate math to Egyptian hieroglyphics. I was born and raised in Iowa and I love having a warm bagel with cinnamon and sugar on cold winter mornings. I also love new experiences and I long for the chance to embrace the new opportunities I am given. Like every typical teen, I live for the weekends when I can finally just relax and spend time with my friends or a nice book. Don't start picturing me as a lazy sloth just yet though. I am a hard worker who has spent all 4 of my high school years being involved in just about everything. From my failed attempts at being a basketball stud, to my performances on the school play stage, I have done it all. I am very happy to have done so too because each and everything that I tried, and at times failed at, I learned something about myself. So much so that I can now say that when it comes to math class, my calculator really is my best friend and that I write my best work when it is nearing my bedtime. I have been told that life is all about learning and accumulating new experience. Going to college in the fall of 2011 can definitely be considered a new experience and I cannot wait to jump in head first, calculator in hand and with a big smile.