Research undertaken by Dr Vini Khurana, has shed new light on the dangers, and takes the view that prolonged mobile phone use could kill more people over time than smoking or asbestos.
There have been mixed messages about the possible dangers of mobile phone use. Clinical studies have on occasion produced contradictory findings, making it difficult for mobile phone users to arrive at a realistic assessment of the risks. Research undertaken by Dr Vini Khurana, has shed new light on the dangers, and takes the view that prolonged mobile phone use could kill more people over time than smoking or asbestos.
Professor Khurana is a top neurosurgeon with many awards to his name. He has reviewed more than 100 studies on the effects of mobile phone use. Recently he placed the results of his research on a brain surgery website - www.brain-surgery-us. He cites a body of evidence that demonstrates a link between mobile phone use and brain tumors. Professor Khurana believes the use of a handset for 10 years or more could double the risk of a brain tumor.
A number of clinical studies have made a connection between mobile phone use and brain tumors. One of the best known is a study by Swedish oncologist and cancer epidemiologist, Lennart Hardell. The Hardell research indicated that - " ...use of mobile phones for 10 or more years give a consistent pattern of increased risk for acoustic neuroma and glioma. The risk is higher for ipsilateral exposure (i.e., cell phone use preferentially on the same side as the eventually diagnosed brain tumor)."
Mobile phone technology is something users tend to take for granted. The importance of mobile phones in emergency situations is an obvious plus. The potential hazards of placing a gadget to the side of the head that emits radio waves, is a secondary concern for most. The power generated by a handset fluctuates. Adaptive power control (APC), takes place on a continual basis and can go from a high of 2 watts to as low as 1 milliW. The selected power level depends on a number of factors such as distance from the base station, presence of tall buildings or other physical obstacles, and whether the handset is being used indoors or outdoors.
The effects of mobile phone radiation on human tissue can be classified as both "thermal" and "non-thermal." Thermal reactions occur when tissues are heated. This heating effect can cause molecular changes within cells, possibly leading to the cancerous transformation of the cell. Non-thermal effects occur over time and are connected with "pulsing" of the carrier signal. Studies have linked non-thermal exposure with DNA damage. In a section of his research titled "emerging concepts and concerns", Professor Khurana offers useful insights and advice on mobile phone use.
He points out that there is a growing body of evidence that brain tumors, such as vestibular Schwannoma and astrocytoma are associated with "heavy" and "prolonged" mobile phone use. Moreover these conditions tend to occur on the side of the head exposed to the mobile phone. He has taken the additional step of issuing a warning that reflects the level of his concern about the growing evidence of the impact of mobile phone use on health:
"... unless the Industry and Governments take immediate and decisive steps to openly acknowledge and intervene in this situation, even while waiting definitive confirmation by large and well-constructed multi-centre studies worldwide, malignant brain tumour incidence and its associated death rate will be observed globally to rise within a decade from now, by which time it may be far too late to meaningfully intervene, especially for those who are currently children and young adults."
In a list of cautions, the professor recommends keeping mobile phone use down to a minimum. When using a mobile, he suggests increasing the physical distance between the device and the side of the head, by using "speaker mode" or "hands-free mode." Avoid turning the head into a "mobile antenna" by reducing use of Bluetooth devices and unshielded wire earphones. Finally he urges that the use of mobile phones by children should be restricted to emergency situations.
By Aidan Maconachy
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