Rat Study Finds No Cell Phone - Cancer Link

Reuters Health via Yahoo ^ | 6-25-02 | Anon Reuters Health Stringer

[Pharmboy]

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Rats exposed to the type of radiation emitted from cell phones do not show an increase in cancer risk, according to the results of a new study.

Cell phones emit low levels of radiation that some researchers suggest may be powerful enough to damage DNA, potentially promoting cancer. But other evidence indicates that the radiation that may be absorbed from cell phones is not powerful enough to inflict genetic damage.

Despite a number of studies, scientists have yet to decide whether there is a link between cell phone usage and cancer, particularly brain tumors. Studies are often funded by the wireless industry. And while many have uncovered no increased rates of brain cancer with cell phone use, health officials have said the possibility of a link cannot yet be ruled out.

In the current investigation, a team of researchers monitored cancer rates in 480 male and female rats exposed to cell phone radiation for 4 hours a day, 5 days a week for a 2-year period. The rodents were exposed to radiation from either one of the two common cell-phone radio frequencies: analog or digital. A third, "control" group of rats was exposed to no radiation.

The study was supported in part by funding from Motorola Inc., a manufacturer of cellular phones.

"We tried to mimic a high level of exposure that humans might experience," said the study's lead author, Dr. Joseph L. Roti of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, in a prepared statement.

"We found no statistically significant increase in any tumor type, including brain, liver, lung or kidney compared to the control group," Roti said.

The findings are being presented this week by Roti and his team at the Bioelectromagnetic Society meeting being held in Quebec City in Quebec, Canada.

[Pharmboy]

I hope they didn't let the rats drive while they were using the cell phones.

But seriously folks, this is good news; the studies that found problems were done in cells outside of animals--a very unnatural circumstance.

[Semper Paratus]

Rat Study Finds No Cell Phone - Cancer Link

I thought Terry McAuliffe was looking for another issue.

[Pharmboy]

Ahhh...an honest mistake. You thought they used demonrats in the study; but, they actually used the higher class rats.

[kaylar]

I'll bet the little bitty cell phones the rats used were cute.

BTW, did you know an item was once banned because it contained a red food dye found to cause cancer in lab rats?

The item in question was a

RAT POISON.

[eno_]

Well that's the key: no brains, no brain tumors!

[Gunslingr3]

>>But seriously folks, this is good news; the studies that found problems were done in cells outside of animals--a very unnatural circumstance.<<

The study I'd read of that raised concern regarding cell phones specifically dealt with the blood/brain barrier, and the notion that cell phone radation caused the 'holes' in this barrier to be enlarged, thereby increasing risks to the brain.

Plenty of hits on Google with the keywords: blood brain barrier rat cell phone

http://www.tassie.net.au/emfac ts/mobiles/microwaves.html

[Tokhtamish]

Isn't it possible that the rats caught on and slipped out to use bootleg rotary phones ? What about palm pilots ?

[cruiserman]

Good news for the rats.

[bandleader]

Waaaaaaaaaa,Waaaaaaaaaaaa,Waaa aaaaaaaaa!!!The BIGGEST contributor to the DemocRats must be "singin' the blues'over this!!!I am(of course)referring to the Trial Lawyers Association.Here was another big,fat,Pot of Gold(ala BIG TOBACCO)that they thought they could get their SLIMY hands on!!!!McDonalds,Burger King etc........You'd Better Watch Out!!!!!You're NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[San Jacinto]

Rats exposed to the type of radiation emitted from cell phones do not show an increase in cancer risk, according to the results of a new study.

I don't care much one way or the other about the 'Rats. Are they going to do a similar study for Republicans?

[ImaGraftedBranch]

I don't care what ANY study says. There are some times when I am speaking on my Nokia that incredibly deep, sharp pains occur in the ear and brain area next to the cell phone. The pain goes away a couple of seconds after I quit the call (which I have to do immediately).

It doesn't happen every time I use the phone, but it NEVER happens when I am NOT on the phone.

I can't stand trial lawyers, and I would never sue about this (or any other matter, for crying out loud)...but I don't trust that my particular brand of cell phone causes no problems. My wife experiences this (less frequently) on her newer Nokia.

[morjon]

Stay the heck OFF a cell phone if you have pain when you use it...sheesh!...I bet even the mice in the experiment figured that out!

[general_re]

There are some times when I am speaking on my Nokia that incredibly deep, sharp pains occur in the ear and brain area next to the cell phone

Yeah, I had that same thing happen. Then I stopped taking calls from my in-laws - problem solved. ;)

[Pharmboy]

Excellent point!! The trial lawyers are crying over this one.

[savedbygrace]

Now that is funny. I'd love to pass this tidbit around. What's your source?

[robert0122]

incredibly deep, sharp pains occur in the ear and brain area next to the cell phone.

My wife experiences this (less frequently) on her newer Nokia.

Do these pains occur just while you are talking to your wife? :-)

[Pharmboy]

Use an earphone jack: they're much more comfortable.

[HassanBenSobar]

This line of research is utterly silly in the first place, just given the physics: 1)the radiated field strengths are many orders of magnitude less than the field strengths naturally present in various cellular structures; 2)the frequencies are so low that they are essentially quasi-static as far as atoms and molecules are concerned 3)the induced brain-tissue heating from radiation is insignificant (no real temperature change). (The surface of the ear gets warm 'cause the cell phone is warm, too...but so what!)

The same remarks go double for the likewise nonsensical claims that magnetic fields from powerlines cause leukemia, etc. Pure junk science.

[Tennessee_Bob]

How many lawyers did they use in this test??

[kaylar]

From a book called More Cunning Than Man : A Complete History of the Rat and Its Role in Human Civilization, by Robert Hendrickson(Kensington, 1983/1999). The cite is from page 126 of Chapter 6 "The War Against Rats":

Regulations are necesarily very strict in this area. In fact, a pink-dyed rat poison was taken off the market in 1981 because the dye was found to contain a substance that caused cancer in lab rats!

Regretably, the author did not see fit to give the name of the product, market or generic.