'Smartphones increase your risk of CANCER'

Question

This claim that cell phones cause cancer is false. This article by the Daily Mail says "Using a mobile phone for as little as 17 minutes per day over 10 years increases the risk of developing cancerous tumors by up to 60 percent, a surprising study found." This is a wild claim that is not backed by any factual evidence and a report from The National Cancer Institution debunks that by saying there is no evidence in their extensive research to prove that cellphones have any correlation to cancer or tumors. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet

Comments

I found this claim to be very intriguing as someone who uses their phone daily, after further reading the article I was pleased to have factual back up supporting that this is false, having no evidence relating cellphone usage to cancer.

Answer 1

Although cellphones do emit radiation, the frequencies of radiation are not high enough to damage cells.  

Cellphones do not emit ionizing radiation like x-rays or radon, which do damage cells.  

The only noticeable effect cellphones have on the human body is warming the area where the cellphone is.  For example, your hand, your pocket, next to your ear.  However, this does not lead to an overall change in core body temperature.  

Cell Phones and Cancer Risk Fact Sheet - NCI

Answer 2

According to the National Cancer Institute as of April of this year, there is no correlation between smartphone usage and developing brain or nervous system cancer.

Cell phone radiation corresponds to the electromagnetic spectrum's radiofrequency section, giving off amounts of non-ionizing radiation too small to harm human DNA. The only understood effect of radiofrequency waves emitted by cell phones is warming areas of the body in contact with a device. 

Notably: the most extensive case-control study ever conducted to examine causation between smartphone use and neck and head tumors presents a possible contradiction.The study's subjects and researchers spanned thirteen countries. It found a positive correlation "between intracranial distribution of tumors within the brain and self-reported location of the phone." However, the study authors asserts that a causal association was indeterminable based on the researchers' discoveries.

Source: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet

Answer 3

The claim that smartphones cause cancer is false. The National Cancer Institution explains that there is not enough evidence of data that says that smartphones cause cancer. The FDA states "there is currently no consistent evidence that non-ionizing radiation increases cancer risk in humans.", which then leads to them saying that even after 30 years of research they have not linked smartphones being the cause of cancer. Lastly, American Cancer Society have done studies that radio frequency waves don't have enough energy to hurt and damage our DNA or even to hurt our body tissue. 

These 3 sources have consistently provided studies that there either hasn't been enough data to prove that smartphones directly cause cancer, and they even through studies, smartphones are not the leading cause of cancer in humans.

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet

https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/cell-phones/do-cell-phones-pose-health-hazard

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/radiation-exposure/cellular-phones.html

Answer 4

This is a false claim, there are many inconsistent and untrue medical facts distributed throughout the article. 

1. "17 minutes per day over 10 years increases risk by 60%"

• REQUIRES CONTEXT:
  • Study is described as "controversial" even within the article
  • Contradicts multiple large-scale studies and major health organization positions
  • Statistical meta-analysis methodology needs peer review verification

1. FDA Position (ACCURATE QUOTE):

• "No consistent or credible scientific evidence of health problems caused by the exposure to radio frequency energy emitted by cell phones"

2. Public Health England Statement (ACCURATE QUOTE):

• "No convincing evidence that exposure to electromagnetic fields has adverse health effects provided exposures are below recommended guideline levels"

3. Cancer Research UK Response (ACCURATE QUOTE):

• Michelle Mitchell correctly quoted regarding study limitations
• Accurate representation of their position on mobile phone safety

1. Consensus View:

• Major health organizations maintain no proven causal link
• Extensive previous research shows no consistent evidence
• International safety standards based on decades of research

2. Study Quality Indicators:

• No peer review status mentioned
• Methodology not fully explained
• Potential conflicts of interest not addressed
• Selection bias concerns not addressed

3. Risk Communication Issues:

• Headline overstates certainty of findings
• Presents controversial findings as definitive
• Lacks proper context about scientific consensus

Answer 5

There is currently no credible scientific evidence to suggest that smartphones cause cancer. Extensive research has been conducted to investigate the potential health effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields emitted by these devices. Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Cancer Society have reviewed the available data and found no conclusive link between smartphone use and cancer.

The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified radiofrequency radiation as "possibly carcinogenic to humans," but this classification is based on limited studies and does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Importantly, many large-scale epidemiological studies have failed to demonstrate a significant increase in cancer risk among regular smartphone users.

While it is important to remain aware of potential health risks associated with any technology, the prevailing scientific consensus is that smartphones do not directly cause cancer. Therefore, concerns about cancer linked to smartphone use may be overstated, although it is always wise to use such devices responsibly.

https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/what-are-the-health-risks-associated-with-mobile-phones-and-their-base-stations

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet

Answer 6

This article claims that cell phones increase the likelyhood of cancerous growths throughout the body, which is untrue. Although the article cites thorough research conducted by UC Berkeley, their findings are contradicted not only by researchers at Harvard University, but by the US Government's National Cancer Institute. They both conclude that the radiation emitted by cell phones and other devices is nonionizing, meaning that it is not strong enough to break down DNA or cause mutations that could lead to the development of cancer

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/cell-phones-dont-cause-brain-cancer-study/#:~:text=brain%20cancer%3A%20study-,Cell%20phones%20don't%20cause%20brain%20cancer%3A%20study,Organization%2C%20researchers%20reviewed%2063%20studies.

Answer 7

Claim: Smartphones Increase Your Risk Of Developing Cancer

Fact Check: The claim that smartphones increase your risk of developing cancer is false. The FDA states that cell phones emit “low levels of radio frequency energy, a type of non-ionizing radiation”. This type of radiation doesn’t have enough energy to cause cause cell mutations which would lead to cancer. The article then concedes its original claim stating “'Research is still ongoing into the longer-term effects, but overall, the best scientific evidence shows that using mobile phones does not increase the risk of cancer”.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9768315/Spending-17-minutes-day-mobile-phone-increases-cancer-risk-study-claims.html

https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/cell-phones/do-cell-phones-pose-health-hazard

Answer 8

The claim that a smartphone can increase the risk of cancer is false and is very exaggerated, especially with the word "cancer" being in all caps. There is not enough evidence to prove that a phone can increase the chance of cancerous tumors by up to 60% like the article states. The study done by Cancer Research UK provided information that a smartphone doesn't have enough radiation to actually change or damage DNA. This proves that the 4G or 5G mobile networks have no link to cancer that occurs in the body and cannot emit enough energy to disrupt the cells. The claim is can be very frightening and intense when readers first see it, which causes fear where it shouldn't be. This is especially due to the fact that almost everyone is the world has a cellphone and uses it for multiple hours a day. This claim can easily be proven false with a simple search. 

Answer 9

The belief that smartphones raise cancer risk is not supported by evidence. Extensive studies have examined whether the radiofrequency energy from phones might contribute to cancer, but no reliable connection has been established. The FDA explains that cell phones emit non-ionizing radiation, which lacks the energy to alter DNA or cause cell mutations, processes necessary for cancer to develop. Likewise, reviews of human studies show no notable increase in cancer risk, even for those who use cell phones heavily. The National Cancer Institute also emphasizes that most research has not identified any clear link between cell phone use and cancer formation.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024005695 https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/cell-phones/do-cell-phones-pose-health-hazard 

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet

Answer 10

Main Claim: Using a mobile phone for as little as 17 minutes per day over 10 years increases the risk of developing cancerous tumors by up to 60 percent, a surprising study found.

OG source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9768315/Spending-17-minutes-day-mobile-phone-increases-cancer-risk-study-claims.html

Similar articles: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet

Source legitimacy: The National Cancer Institute is a well known organization that provides an answer saying these claims are purely speculative. "The human body does absorb energy from devices that emit radiofrequency radiation. The only consistently recognized biological effect of radiofrequency radiation absorption in humans that the general public might encounter is heating to the area of the body where a cell phone is held (e.g., the ear and head). However, that heating is not sufficient to measurably increase core body temperature. There are no other clearly established dangerous health effects on the human body from radiofrequency radiation.The human body does absorb energy from devices that emit radiofrequency radiation. The only consistently recognized biological effect of radiofrequency radiation absorption in humans that the general public might encounter is heating to the area of the body where a cell phone is held (e.g., the ear and head). However, that heating is not sufficient to measurably increase core body temperature. There are no other clearly established dangerous health effects on the human body from radiofrequency radiation.