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Using cell phones frequently increases the risk of developing some types of brain cancers, according to a new study.
The study published in the latest issue of Electromagnetic Biology & Medicine journal suggests that radio frequency radiation emitted by wireless and mobile technology is linked to certain kinds of cancers as well as fatigue and skin irritations.
The study is bound to renew debate about safety of mobile devices since other researches have not found any conclusive links between the devices and cancer.
The study was conducted by Igor Yakymenko from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in collaboration with researchers in Indiana University (US), the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Campinas (Brazil).
"This data is a clear sign of the real risks this kind of radiation poses for human health," Dr Yakymenko said. The study reached its conclusion after reviewing hundreds of other studies conducted in the past on the impacts of radio frequency radiation emitted by cell phones on living cells. The research concluded that radiation damages DNA and may over a long period of time lead to formation of cancer cells. The conclusion was obtained from adults who used cell phones for the previous 10 years.
Yakmenko said children using cellphones are more vulnerable to the radiation since their bodies are not yet strong. He said using a mobile device for 20 minutes a day for five years or an hour a day for four years increases the risks of getting some type of brain cancer, adding that ailments can take up to 30 years to appear.
The researchers advised cellphone users to use hands-free kits more often to keep the radiation emitted by the mobile devices from their heads and other vital organs. The World Health Organisation is expected to conduct a formal risk assessment of all study outcomes by next year and issue public advisory.
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