Dr. AD Sharma
In the unprecedented scenario of the present Covid-19 pandemic, where almost whole of the world population is confined to their homes, the use of cellular devices has risen astronomically. We are using cell phones more than ever, be it for “work from home” or, to connect with friends and family separated from us due to travel restriction.
“Could excessive use of cellular (mobile) phones cause cancer?” Many keep asking this question to doctors. In all those years of “conventional” specialty training given to doctors, we were hardly ever taught about the association between cellular phones and cancer. The evidence was so scanty. We spent most of the time thinking about either tobacco, alcohol, or genetics.
And here I am, as an oncologist, facing one of the simplest and yet most unnerving questions about a seemingly harmless device of modern lifestyle. That’s similar to asking an astronomer, “Does extraterrestrial life exist?”
Let’s have a look at the science of these devices, and its effects on the biology of cancer, so as to alleviate the fear and protect ourselves while staying connected from home. Cellular phone ha existed for 30-40 years, but ha gained widespread popularity since the last two decades. It has become an irreplaceable part of our daily lives, and now that we can’t get rid of it, we grow a very basic concern. Is it safe for us? As we dive deeper into our psyche to investigate its safety, we come to associate it with our scariest trepidation — the risk of cancer.
Cellular phones communicate with each other via radio-frequency waves. These devices are considered a very weak source of radio-frequency — a type of electromagnetic radiation similar to “cancer-causing” ionising radiation such as X-ray and gamma rays, but far less energetic. Considering how long we keep them close to our body, even these weak sources become significant biologically. The “radiation” cellphones emit and their proximity to the brain form the basis of the suspicion that these devices may actually be a cause of cancer.
Fact is, these waves are absorbed into the body parts in the vicinity and may bring about detrimental changes. We are not sure about the true nature of these changes, and whether these changes could be a starting point of a tumor formation. Unlike the very energetic ionising radiation, radio-frequency waves are not an established, direct cause of cancer. Based on all the data that has been gathered till date, almost all the agencies working on cancer have categorised radio-frequency waves (and thus cellular phones) as either non-carcinogenic or “probably” carcinogenic. This uncertainty in the categorisation is due to the lack of sufficient amount of data that is needed for a precise conclusion and risk estimation.
As mobile phones are used by more people in the future, it is expected that we will reach an unambiguous conclusion in a decade or two. Remember, it took us over 300 years to put definite scientific blame on smoking as a cause of cancer!
We surely can’t stop using mobile phones. It’s a “necessary evil”. But we can reduce exposure to the radio-frequency wave emissions by some of the following measures while using them.
1- Use it for a lesser duration. 2- Avoid using a cell phone when the signal is weak. 3- Use it over speakers. 4- Use headphones rather than putting it directly over the ear. 5- Keep cell phones away from your body when not in use (avoid keeping it in pockets). 6- As far as possible, avoid children access to a mobile phone.
Nevertheless, there is sufficient proof of supporting cellular phones to be a cause of non-cancer conditions like anxiety, sleep, attention deficiency, and societal and cognitive disorders. The choice is finally yours to make. Do you want to limit cellphone use considering these already proven harmful effects? Or do you want to wait until it is established as a sure cause of cancer?
Sporadic pandemics like Covid-19 will come and go, but cancer is here to stay as long as we have DNA in our bodies.
The writer is a practising radiation oncologist.