Childhood cancer is, fortunately, rare. After over 70 years of
research into possible causal factors, it is clear that many factors are
involved in what is almost certainly a multi-factorial multi-stage
processes of initiation, promotion and development. The incidence rate of
many childhood cancers has been rising fairly steadily since the second
world war, though the rate of rise has actually slowed recently. There is
no evidence of a new major causal factor (such as mobile phone base
stations) coming in to play since the 1990s.
One short-term study such as this could not have the power to
identify a single factor however well it was carried out. The long history
and ongoing debate about the associated doubling in incidence of childhood
leukaemia and EMF exposure from powerlines and electricity substations,
etc, has made it clear that no new single short-term limited study will
provide any firm answers.
In my RF measurement work over the last 15 years, I have found that
DECT cordless phone and DECT baby monitors usually expose young children
at home to higher levels of amplitude modulated RF than enters the house
from local base stations. Also, many mothers carry young children whilst
using a mobile phone.
These other important sources of RF exposure that were omitted from
consideration in this study would have frequently been stronger than the
base station signals they modelled, for both cases and controls. They also
did not include "microcell" base stations which, due to their low height,
often expose nearby homes to much higher levels than the higher mounted
macrocells.
Since this study failed to assess important and significant sources
of RF exposure it is of no help in determining whether there is any
association between mobile phone base station masts and the incidence of
childhood cancer.
Competing interests:
Director of Powerwatch a non-profit public information organisation concerned with EMF/RF exposure and health effects
Rapid Response:
This study does not help our knowledge
Childhood cancer is, fortunately, rare. After over 70 years of
research into possible causal factors, it is clear that many factors are
involved in what is almost certainly a multi-factorial multi-stage
processes of initiation, promotion and development. The incidence rate of
many childhood cancers has been rising fairly steadily since the second
world war, though the rate of rise has actually slowed recently. There is
no evidence of a new major causal factor (such as mobile phone base
stations) coming in to play since the 1990s.
One short-term study such as this could not have the power to
identify a single factor however well it was carried out. The long history
and ongoing debate about the associated doubling in incidence of childhood
leukaemia and EMF exposure from powerlines and electricity substations,
etc, has made it clear that no new single short-term limited study will
provide any firm answers.
In my RF measurement work over the last 15 years, I have found that
DECT cordless phone and DECT baby monitors usually expose young children
at home to higher levels of amplitude modulated RF than enters the house
from local base stations. Also, many mothers carry young children whilst
using a mobile phone.
These other important sources of RF exposure that were omitted from
consideration in this study would have frequently been stronger than the
base station signals they modelled, for both cases and controls. They also
did not include "microcell" base stations which, due to their low height,
often expose nearby homes to much higher levels than the higher mounted
macrocells.
Since this study failed to assess important and significant sources
of RF exposure it is of no help in determining whether there is any
association between mobile phone base station masts and the incidence of
childhood cancer.
Competing interests:
Director of Powerwatch a non-profit public information organisation concerned with EMF/RF exposure and health effects
Competing interests: No competing interests