Brain tumour shock for long-term mobile user

Brain tumour shock for long-term mobile user

Erik Jensen

June 2, 2011

Click to play video

Brain tumour shock for mobile phone user

Romaine Youdale is convinced prolonged mobile phone usage has contributed to her brain tumour.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/brain-tumour-shock-for-longterm-mobile-user-20110601-1fgqt.html#ixzz1jmJzHZrf

Brain tumour shock for mobile phone user

Romaine Youdale is convinced prolonged mobile phone usage has contributed to her brain tumour.

ROMAINE YOUDALE came early to mobile phones. She worked in television in the 1990s and was talking into one for at least two hours a day. Probably more.

''I would start talking at the studio in Eastwood,'' she said, ''and I would be on the phone until I hit the Coke sign on William Street.''

Last year, Miss Youdale was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. Mobile phone use was her first thought. It was also the thought of her surgeon, Charles Teo, who removed the tumour last October.

Romaine Youdale, who is having ongoing treatment after surgery last year began using a mobile phone in the 1990s. Photo: Marco Del Grande

At 46, Miss Youdale was young. She had no family history of cancer. ''He was celebrating the possibility I would be alive for five years,'' she said. ''No one had briefed me about worst case scenario. I certainly wasn't excited about a five-year window.''

Yesterday, the World Health Organisation reconsidered its cancer warning for mobile phone use and upgraded it to a ''possible'' risk for glioma - the same cancer Miss Youdale had. It is now listed among 266 factors that may cause cancer, including lead and petrol.

''This is not an alarmist report, but a considered statement by a group of eminent scientists in the [World Health Organisation] and as such it should not be ignored,'' Conjoint Associate Professor Teo said.

''Today's report should serve as a wake-up call alerting both the public and the mobile phone industry to the link.''

Bruce Armstrong, one of 31 scientists who upgraded the listing after a 10-day meeting in Lyon, said the decision was made on re-examination of Swedish research and one unpublished paper. There was not consensus on the panel.

''This is not a case of compelling evidence. It's a case of evidence that allowed us to think there was a credible possibility of a positive association,'' Professor Armstrong said.

''What we have here is an international view of a group of scientists that evidence is there and needs to be taken into consideration when people act.''

The state government is reserving its opinion on the renewed grading. Its chief adviser on cancer, David Currow, said the finding was nothing new and the public would be better focusing on known carcinogens such as smoking and alcohol.

"Scientists have been trying to prove a link between mobile phone use and cancer for the last decade and up until now have been unable to do so,'' Professor Currow said.

"Today's reclassification is a clear message that more work needs to be done looking at the prolonged use of mobile phones and the risk this poses of cancer. This is something that could take another 10, 20 or even 30 years to complete. In the meantime this is a case of being alert but not alarmed. 

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/brain-tumour-shock-for-longterm-mobile-user-20110601-1fgqt.html