Use of Mobile and Cordless Phones and The Association with Prostate Cancer.

In this article, Hardell and Carlberg present evidence of an association between radiofrequency (RF) radiation exposure and an increased risk of prostate cancer. This evidence is based on two previous case-control studies. The first study examined the link between the use of mobile and cordless phones and the development of malignant brain tumors in deceased patients; deceased individuals served as the control group. The second study investigated the association between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), environmental contaminants, and prostate cancer. During the study period from 2007 to 2011, an increased risk of certain PFAS was found in the case group. Heredity was also identified as a risk factor for prostate cancer. Cell phone use was also examined. Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in Sweden, accounting for 30.9% of all cancers in men with 12,066 new cases in 2022. The risk factors are numerous and heterogeneous. These include genetic, inflammatory, infectious, hormone-related, dietary, age-related, and ethnic factors that contribute to prostate cancer susceptibility.

The first study included patients with histopathologically confirmed brain tumors diagnosed between 1997 and 2003. All patients were deceased. The control group was drawn from the Swedish death registry. The present study was based on individuals in the control group who died of prostate cancer and individuals who died of diseases other than cancer (defined as controls in this study). This study included the use of analog 1G and digital 2G mobile phones, as well as DECT cordless phones. The control group consisted of 619 deceased individuals. Of those, 51 had died of prostate cancer.

The second study looked at patients with prostate cancer, who were admitted to the Department of Oncology at Örebro University Hospital in Sweden between 2007 and 2011 and recruited for a study on persistent organic pollutants. The patients were asked to provide a blood sample for chemical analysis. Blood was drawn before treatment with cytostatics or radiotherapy.

This new analysis builds on two epidemiological studies and includes 51 subjects from Study I and 202 subjects from Study II with prostate cancer, for a total of 253 subjects. The control group includes 150 subjects from Study I and 186 subjects from Study II, for a total of 336 control subjects.

Exposure was determined using a questionnaire sent by mail to each patient or their next of kin. A similar questionnaire was used in both studies. Regarding mobile or cordless phone use, respondents were asked about their average daily use (minutes per day) and the duration of their cordless phone use. Since mobile phones were first introduced, technology has changed; therefore, the questionnaire was designed to collect information on all devices, including analog mobile phones (1G), digital mobile phones (2G and 3G), DECT cordless phones, and other cordless phones.

StataSE 12.1 was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Subjects who reported not using mobile or cordless phones formed the control group. Latency was defined as the number of years from when the subject first used a mobile phone to when the subject was diagnosed. The cumulative number of hours of use was calculated. Latency was analyzed using time periods of > 1–5 years, > 5–10 years, and > 10 years. Cumulative use of different phone types was analyzed in three categories: 1–1,000 hours, 1,001–2,000 hours, and > 2,000 hours.

In the pooled analysis of both studies, mobile phone use was associated with an OR = 1.8 [1.01–3.1]. The highest risk was found in the group with the longest latency: > 10 years, resulting in an OR = 2.8 [1.5–5.3]. Similar results were found for analog and digital mobile phones, as well as for cordless phones overall. Using DECT cordless phones was also associated with an increased risk, though not by a statistically significant amount.

A statistically significant increased risk was found in the group with more than 2,000 hours of total mobile phone use, with an OR = 2.4 [1.2–5.1]. The highest risk for total cordless phone use was found in the group > 2,000 h, with an OR = 2.2 [1.1–4.3].

The classification of prostate cancer showed no increased risk for Gleason grades 2–6. (The Gleason score predicts the prognosis of prostate cancer based on histological findings.) For Gleason grades 7–10, increased ORs were found for all types of cordless phones, with an OR = 2.0 [0.7–6.0]. A separate analysis of mobile phones and DECT cordless phones yielded similar results. The highest OR for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a marker of prostate inflammation, was also found in the group with the most aggressive tumor. Thus, PSA > 10 for mobile phone use resulted in an OR = 2.5 [0.7–8.9]. The cases were further subdivided into groups of low risk, intermediate risk, and high risk based on PSA and Gleason scores. Mobile phone or DECT cordless phone use was not associated with low-risk prostate cancer. Increased ORs were calculated for intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer.

Heredity and mobile phone use were associated with an increased risk of borderline statistical significance, with an OR = 2.8 [0.98–7.8]. The highest risks were found in patients with a hereditary predisposition to prostate cancer.

The main finding of this study is that mobile phone use is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. This risk increased with latency, reaching its highest point at a latency of more than 10 years. The literature on RF radiation and prostate cancer is sparse. The results of this study are supported by data from the UK Biobank Study (Zhang et al., 2024). A statistically significant increased risk of prostate cancer was found, with a hazard ratio (HR) = 1.19 [1.13–1.25]. The highest risk was observed for mobile phone use of more than 8 years, with a statistically significant trend (p < 0.001). The NTP study also supports an increased risk of prostate neoplasia. In summary, the present study found an increased risk of prostate cancer associated with mobile or cordless phone use. This risk increased with latency and cumulative hours of use. In addition, the risk was highest in cases of more aggressive cancer, as determined by Gleason score, PSA, and high-risk profile. (AT)

Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Ye Z, Yang S, Liu M, Wu Q et al. (2025). Mobile phone use and risks of overall  and 25 site-specific cancers: a prospective study from the UK Biobank study. Cancer Epidemiology,   Biomarkers & Prevention. 2024 Jan 9;33(1):88-95.