Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Is mobile phone use contributing to increased incidence of thyroid cancer?
The incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing rapidly in
recent years in many countries including the U.S., Canada, and Israel.
A headline in Haaretz a year ago March reads,
"Israeli scientists find possible link between cellphone use, thyroid
cancer."
In response to questions posed to me on this topic today from
several individuals, I did a PubMed search. Although I did not find any
epidemiologic studies that examined the association between mobile phone use
and thyroid cancer in humans, I found almost a dozen published papers that have
studied the effects of cell phone radiation on thyroid function. Apparently,
case-control research on this topic is warranted.
The abstracts from 11 published papers that examined the effects
of exposure to cell phone radiation on thyroid function appear below. Please
let me know if you are aware of important studies that I missed, and I will
supplement this list. I did not include studies that examined exposure to
power frequency radiation.
But first, here is the 2013 news article ...
Israeli scientists find possible link between cellphone use,
thyroid cancer
Dan Even, Haaretz, Mar 6, 2013
Israeli scientists have reported preliminary findings of a
possible link between the radiation from cellphones and thyroid cancer. There
has been a steep rise in rates of thyroid cancer in recent years in Western
countries.
The Israeli research, conducted at Beilinson Hospital in Petah
Tikva and at Tel Aviv University, identified evidence for the first time of the
possible connection between the rise in thyroid cancer cases to the increased
exposure to radiation emitted by cellphones.
In one experiment, human thyroid cells collected from healthy
patients were subjected to radiation with a device, designed for the study,
that simulates the electromagnetic radiation emitted by cellphones. The
irradiated thyroid cells proliferated at a much higher, statistically
significant rate than non-irradiated cells in the control group. A second
experiment, using different methods and materials, gave similar results.
The research was conducted in the Felsenstein Medical Research
Center, part of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University and the
Rabin Medical Center. Prof. Raphael Feinmesser, head of Beilinson’s Ear, Nose
and Throat Department was the lead researcher. The findings will be presented
for the first time this weekend at the annual conference of the Israeli Society
of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, in Eilat.
“The findings are the first evidence of changes in thyroid cells
in response to electromagnetic radiation,” said Feinmesser. “But drawing
sweeping conclusions as to a connection between cellphone radiation and thyroid
cancer is still far off.”
The scientific community is divided as to the connection between
cellular radiation and cancer. One opinion is that because cellular radiation
is non-ionizing and incapable of causing changes in cellular DNA, it cannot
cause cancer. But in recent years evidence has mounted from epidemiological
studies indicating a relationship between increased exposure to cellular
radiation and cancerous growths, especially in the brain and the salivary
glands.
“The thyroid gland is located in the neck, but the area is
located the same distance from the ear as the regions of the brain where
[cancerous] growths have been diagnosed as being related to the use of the
[cellular] devices. This is a region that is not far from the center of the
device’s radiation,” said Feinmesser.
The incidence of thyroid cancer has been on the rise in Israel
for more than a decade, which matches the rise in the use of cellphones.
Thyroid cancer is three times more common in women than men. It is the fourth
most common form of cancer among Jewish women in Israel, at 16.6 cases per
100,000 people. The three most common forms of cancer for women are cancer of
the breast, colon and cervix. Among Israeli Arab women the rate of thyroid
cancer is 11.6 cases per 100,000, and it is the third most common cancer. From
1990 to 2007 there was a 67-percent rise in thyroid cancer rates among Jewish
women, and a 250 percent increase among Arab women, Health Ministry figures
show. For men, the rise from 2000 is more moderate, but still shows a 41
percent increase in thyroid cancer rates for Jewish men.
“One of the explanations is that the rise is related to better
technical methods of early detection of these growths, which have been
developed in recent years. But other research shows that even after
neutralizing this influence a rise in these growths still remains,” said
Feinmesser.
Just this week it was reported that mobile operator Partner Communications
(Orange ) reached a settlement with a customer who claims he contracted cancer
after using the company’s cellphones. The customer, who is in his 50s, sued
Partner in May, claiming that intensive use of the device resulted in an
aggressive lymphoma near his left ear. Partner agreed to pay NIS 400,000 in an
out-of-court settlement.”
--
Hilly, Ohad; Silva, Verónica; Mizrachi, Aviram; Ariel, Ortal;
Raiter, Annat; Hauptman, Yirmi; Hardy, Britta; Feinmesser, Raphael.
EFFECT OF NON-IONIZING ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION AT MOBILE PHONE FREQUENCY ON HUMAN THYROID CELLS.
Abstract from the World Thyroid Cancer Congress in Toronto 2013.
Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center,
Petah Tikva, Israel; 2Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel Aviv University,
Tel Aviv, Israel; 3Gal Safe Ltd., Or Yehuda, Israel
Background/Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the
effect of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (NIER) at mobile phone
frequency on human thyroid cells.
Methods: We cultured samples of normal thyroid tissue and
subsequently exposed the cultured thyrocytes to NIER for 3 hours. NIER effects
were evaluated in terms of proliferation using a cell viability assay and
immunohistochemistry.
Results: We found that NIER exposure for 3 hours has lead to an
increased proliferation of thyrocytes in cell viability assay (p=0.007). This
result was confirmed by immunohistochemistry with antibodies against Ki67.
Discussion & Conclusion: In this study we present for the
first time an in vitro evaluation of NIER effects on human thyroid cells.
Our results suggest a proliferative effect of NIER on human thyrocytes, an
effect that may link NIER exposure with potential carcinogenesis.
PubMed Search Results (in chronological order)
K, Sechman A, Nieckarz Z.
Plasma thyroid hormones and corticosterone levels in blood of chicken embryos and post hatch chickens exposed during incubation to 1800 MHz electromagnetic field.
Int J Occup Med
Environ Health. 2014 Jan 31. [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This study attempted to determine the effect of a
1800 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) (only carrier frequency) on thyroxine
(T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in the
blood plasma of chick embryos, and to investigate the effect of electromagnetic
field (EMF) exposure during embryogenesis on the level of these hormones in
birds that are ready for slaughter.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Throughout the incubation period,
embryos from the experimental group were exposed to a 1800 MHz EMF with power
density of 0.1 W/m2, 10 times during 24 h for 4 min. Blood samples were
collected to determine T4, T3 and CORT concentrations on the 12th (E12) and
18th (E18) day of incubation, from newly hatched chicks (D1) and from birds
ready for slaughter (D42).
RESULTS: The experiment showed that T4 and T3
concentrations decreased markedly and CORT levels increased in the embryos and
in the newly hatched chicks exposed to EMF during embryogenesis. However, no
changes were found in the level of the analyzed hormones in the birds ready for
slaughter. Differences in T4 and T3 plasma concentrations between the
EMF-exposed group and the embryos incubated without additional EMF were the
highest in the newly hatched chicks, which may be indicative of the cumulative
effect of electromagnetic field on the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis
(HPT).
DISCUSSION: The obtained results suggest that additional
1800 MHz radio frequency electromagnetic field inhibits function of HPT axis,
however, it stimulates hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis by inducing adrenal
steroidogenic cells to synthesize corticosterone. Further investigations are
needed to elucidate the mechanisms by which radio EMFs affect HPT and HPA axis
function in the chicken embryos.
---
Jin YB, Choi HD, Kim BC, Pack JK, Kim N, Lee YS.
Effects of simultaneous combined exposure to CDMA and WCDMA electromagnetic fields on serum hormone levels in rats.
J Radiat Res. 2013 May;54(3):430-7. doi:
10.1093/jrr/rrs120. Epub 2012 Dec 13.
Abstract
Despite more than a decade of research on the endocrine system,
there have been no published studies about the effects of concurrent exposure
of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) on this system. The present
study investigated the several parameters of the endocrine system including
melatonin, thyroid stimulating hormone, stress hormone and sex hormone after
code division multiple access (CDMA, 849 MHz) and wideband code division
multiple access (WCDMA, 1.95 GHz) signals for simultaneous exposure in rats.
Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to RF-EMF signals for 45 min/day, 5 days/week
for up to 8 weeks. The whole-body average specific absorption rate (SAR) of CDMA
or WCDMA was 2.0 W/kg (total 4.0 W/kg). At 4 and 8 weeks after the experiment
began, each experimental group's 40 rats (male 20, female 20) were autopsied.
Exposure for 8 weeks to simultaneous CDMA and WCDMA RF did not affect serum
levels in rats of melatonin, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH),
triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and
sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen) as assessed by the ELISA method.
---
Dimida A, Ferrarini E, Agretti P, De Marco G, Grasso L,
Martinelli M, Longo I, Giulietti D, Ricci A, Galimberti M, Siervo B, Licitra G,
Francia F, Pinchera A, Vitti P, Tonacchera M.
Electric and magnetic fields do not modify the biochemical properties of FRTL-5 cells.
J Endocrinol Invest.
2011 Mar;34(3):185-9. doi: 10.3275/7107. Epub 2010 Jun 11.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Electric and magnetic fields (EMF) might be involved
in human disease and numerous research and scientific reviews have been
conducted to address this question. In particular thyroid structural and
functional alterations caused by various forms of non-ionizing radiation have
been described.
AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze the possible effects
of EMF on thyroid, in particular we analyzed the effects caused by a GSM
(Global System for Mobile Communications) signal (900 MHz) on cultured thyroid
cells (FRTL- 5).
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experimental setup was designed
in order to expose samples to a radiofrequency wave in well-controlled
conditions. We used the FRTL-5 cell line, an epithelial monoclonal continuous
cell line derived from Fisher rat thyroid tissue growing as monolayer,
expressing the TSH receptor and the sodium-iodide symporter (NIS). FRTL-5 were
subsequently irradiate for 24, 48, and 96 h with EMF (800-900 MHz,
power-frequency of mobile communication systems) and iodide uptake and cAMP
production were measured.
RESULTS: The irradiation of cells with EMF at 900 Mhz for
24, 48, and 96 h did not influence the level of cAMP production and was not
able to modify iodide accumulation in FRTL- 5 cells with respect to basal
conditions.
CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, EMF do not seem to be able to
interfere with the biochemical properties of FRTL-5 cells in vitro.
---
Esmekaya MA, Seyhan N, Ömeroglu S.
Pulse modulated 900 MHz radiation induces hypothyroidism and apoptosis in thyroid cells: a light, electron microscopy and immunohistochemical study.
Int J Radiat Biol. 2010
Dec;86(12):1106-16. Epub 2010 Sep 1.
Abstract
PURPOSE: In the present study we investigated the possible histopathological
effects of pulse modulated Radiofrequency (RF) fields on the thyroid gland
using light microscopy, electron microscopy and immunohistochemical methods.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two months old male Wistar rats were
exposed to a 900 MHz pulse-modulated RF radiation at a specific absorption rate
(SAR) of 1.35 Watt/kg for 20 min/day for three weeks. The RF signals were pulse
modulated by rectangular pulses with a repetition frequency of 217 Hz and a
duty cycle of 1:8 (pulse width 0.576 ms). To assess thyroid endocrine
disruption and estimate the degree of the pathology of the gland, we analysed
structural alterations in follicular and colloidal diameters and areas, colloid
content of the follicles, and height of the follicular epithelium. Apoptosis was
confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy and assessing the activites of an
initiator (caspase-9) and an effector (caspase-3) caspases that are important
markers of cells undergoing apoptosis.
RESULTS: Morphological analyses revealed hypothyrophy of the
gland in the 900 MHz RF exposure group. The results indicated that thyroid
hormone secretion was inhibited by the RF radiation. In addition, we also
observed formation of apoptotic bodies and increased caspase-3 and caspase-9
activities in thyroid cells of the rats that were exposed to modulated RF
fields.
CONCLUSION: The overall findings indicated that whole body
exposure to pulse-modulated RF radiation that is similar to that emitted by
global system for mobile communications (GSM) mobile phones can cause
pathological changes in the thyroid gland by altering the gland structure and
enhancing caspase-dependent pathways of apoptosis.
---
Milham S.
Most cancer in firefighters is due to radio-frequency radiation exposure not inhaled carcinogens.
Med Hypotheses. 2009
Nov;73(5):788-9. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2009.04.020. Epub 2009 May 22.
Abstract
Recent reviews and reports of cancer incidence and mortality in
firefighters conclude that they are at an increased risk of a number of
cancers. These include leukemia, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, male
breast cancer, malignant melanoma, and cancers of the brain, stomach, colon,
rectum, prostate, urinary bladder, testes, and thyroid. Firefighters are
exposed to a long list of recognized or probable carcinogens in combustion
products and the presumed route of exposure to these carcinogens is by
inhalation. Curiously, respiratory system cancers and diseases are usually not
increased in firefighters as they are in workers exposed to known inhaled
carcinogens. The list of cancers with increased risk in firefighters strongly
overlaps the list of cancers at increased risk in workers exposed to
electromagnetic fields (EMF) and radiofrequency radiation (RFR). Firefighters
have increased exposure to RFR in the course of their work, from the mobile
two-way radio communications devices which they routinely use while fighting
fires, and at times from firehouse and fire vehicle radio transmitters. I
suggest that some of the increased cancer risk in firefighters is caused by RFR
exposure, and is therefore preventable. The precautionary principle should be
applied to reduce the risk of cancer in firefighters, and workman's
compensation rules will necessarily need to be modified.
---
Mortavazi S, Habib A, Ganj-Karami A, Samimi-Doost R, Pour-Abedi
A, Babaie A.
Alterations in TSH and Thyroid Hormones following Mobile Phone Use.
Oman Med J. 2009 Oct;24(4):274-8. doi: 10.5001/omj.2009.56.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: In recent years, the widespread use of mobile phones
has lead to a public debate about possible detrimental effects on human health.
In spite of years of research, there is still a great controversy regarding the
possibility of induction of any significant physiological effects in humans by
microwave radiations emitted by mobile phones. This study aims to investigate
the effects of electromagnetic fields induced by the Global System for Mobile
communications (GSM) mobile phones on the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and
thyroid hormones in humans.
METHODS: 77 healthy university students participated in this
study. The levels of T3, T4 and TSH were measured by using appropriate
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (Human, Germany).
RESULTS: The average levels of T3, T4 and TSH in students who
moderately used mobile phones were 1.25±0.27 ng/ml, 7.76±1.73 µg/dl and
4.25±2.12 µu/l respectively. The levels in the students who severely used
mobile phones were 1.18±0.30, 7.75±1.14 and 3.75±2.05 respectively. In non-users,
the levels were 1.15±0.27, 8.42±2.72 and 2.70±1.75, respectively. The
difference among the levels of TSH in these 3 groups was statistically
significant (P<0 .05="" o:p="">
CONCLUSION: As far as the study is concerned, this is the first
human study to assess the associations between mobile phone use and alterations
in the levels of TSH and thyroid hormones. Based on the findings, a higher than
normal TSH level, low mean T4 and normal T3 concentrations in mobile users were
observed. It seems that minor degrees of thyroid dysfunction with a
compensatory rise in TSH may occur following excessive use of mobile phones. It
may be concluded that possible deleterious effects of mobile microwaves on
hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis affects the levels of these hormones.
---
Djeridane Y, Touitou Y, de Seze R.
Influence of electromagnetic fields emitted by GSM-900 cellular telephones on the circadian patterns of gonadal, adrenal and pituitary hormones in men.
Radiat Res. 2008
Mar;169(3):337-43.
Abstract
The potential health risks of radiofrequency electromagnetic
fields (RF EMFs) emitted by mobile phones are currently of considerable public
interest. The present study investigated the effect of exposure to 900 MHz GSM
radiofrequency radiation on steroid (cortisol and testosterone) and pituitary
(thyroid-stimulating hormone, growth hormone, prolactin and
adrenocorticotropin) hormone levels in 20 healthy male volunteers. Each subject
was exposed to RF EMFs through the use of a cellular phone for 2 h/day, 5 days/
week, for 4 weeks. Blood samples were collected hourly during the night and
every 3 h during the day. Four sampling sessions were performed at 15-day
intervals: before the beginning of the exposure period, at the middle and the
end of the exposure period, and 15 days later. Parameters evaluated included
the maximum serum concentration, the time of this maximum, and the area under
the curve for hormone circadian patterns. Each individual's pre-exposure
hormone concentration was used as his control. All hormone concentrations
remained within normal physiological ranges. The circadian profiles of
prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, adrenocorticotropin and testosterone
were not disrupted by RF EMFs emitted by mobile phones. For growth hormone and
cortisol, there were significant decreases of about 28% and 12%, respectively,
in the maximum levels when comparing the 2-week (for growth hormone and
cortisol) and 4-week (for growth hormone) exposure periods to the pre-exposure
period, but no difference persisted in the postexposure period. Our data show
that the 900 MHz EMF exposure, at least under our experimental conditions, does
not appear to affect endocrine functions in men.
---
Koyu A, Cesur G, Ozguner F, Akdogan M, Mollaoglu H, Ozen S.
Effects of 900 MHz electromagnetic field on TSH and thyroid hormones in rats.
Toxicol Lett. 2005 Jul 4;157(3):257-62. Epub 2005 Apr 11.
Abstract
In this study, the effects of exposure to a 900 megahertz (MHz)
electromagnetic field (EMF) on serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and
triiodothronine-thyroxin (T3-T4) hormones levels of adult male Sprague-Dawley
rats were studied. Thirty rats were used in three independent groups, 10 of
which were control (without stress and EMF), 10 of which were exposed to 900
MHz EMF and 10 of which were sham-exposed. The exposures were performed 30
min/day, for 5 days/week for 4 weeks to 900 MHz EMF. Sham-exposed animals were
kept under the same environmental conditions as the study groups except with no
EMF exposure. The concentration of TSH and T3-T4 hormones in the rat serum was
measured by using an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) method for TSH and a
radio-immunoassay (RIA) method for T3 and T4 hormones. TSH values and T3-T4 at
the 900 MHz EMF group were significantly lower than the sham-exposed group
(p<0 .01="" and="" between="" concentrations="" control="" differences="" group="" hormone="" in="" no="" p="" serum="" sham-exposed="" significant="" statistically="" t3-t4="" the="" there="" tsh="" values="" were="">0.05). These results indicate that 900 MHz EMF emitted by cellular
telephones decrease serum TSH and T3-T4 levels.
---
Wakeford R.
The cancer epidemiology of radiation.
Oncogene. 2004
Aug 23;23(38):6404-28.
Abstract
Ionizing radiation has been the subject of intense
epidemiological investigation. Studies have demonstrated that exposure to
moderate-to-high levels can cause most forms of cancer, leukaemia and cancers
of the breast, lung and thyroid being particularly sensitive to induction by
radiation, especially at young ages at exposure. Predominant among these
studies is the Life Span Study of the cohort of survivors of the atomic
bombings of Japan in 1945, but substantial evidence is derived from groups
exposed for medical reasons, occupationally or environmentally. Notable among
these other groups are underground hard rock miners who inhaled radioactive
radon gas and its decay products, large numbers of patients irradiated
therapeutically and workers who received high doses in the nuclear weapons
programme of the former USSR. The degree of carcinogenic risk arising from low
levels of exposure is more contentious, but the available evidence points to an
increased risk that is approximately proportional to the dose received.
Epidemiological investigations of nonionizing radiation have established
ultraviolet radiation as a cause of skin cancer. However, the evidence for a
carcinogenic effect of other forms of nonionizing radiation, such as those
associated with mobile telephones or electricity transmission lines, is not
convincing, although the possibility of a link between childhood leukaemia and
extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields cannot be dismissed entirely.
---
Bergamaschi A, Magrini A, Ales G, Coppeta L, Somma G.
Are thyroid dysfunctions related to stress or microwave exposure (900 MHz)?
Int J
Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2004 May-Aug;17(2 Suppl):31-6.
Abstract
In the last decade, numerous scientific evidence suggested
possible adverse health effects from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF'S)
and the use of mobile phones. According to some studies EMF induced changes of
trans-membrane Ca++ flux may lead to altered metabolism and/or secretion of
neurohormones including TSH, ACTH, GH, prolactin and melatonin. The aim of this
research was to analyse the effects of mobile phone use on thyroid function and
to evaluate the possible role of occupational stress. 2598 employees (1355 men
and 1243 women) with different duties (vendors, operators and network
technicians) were included in the study. Exposure to EMF'S, generated by mobile
phones, was assessed both by submitting a questionnaire directly to the
employees and acquiring data regarding conversation times. The workers were
divided into three groups on the basis of their personal mobile phone use.
Moreover, a group of 160 workers with TSH values below 0.4 UI/l was
characterized. No statistically significant difference regarding TSH values
below 0.4 UI/l was observed among workers with different duties but there was a
greater prevalence of subjects with low SH values among 192 employees with more
than 33 hrs./month conversation time; this difference was statistically
significant (p<0 .05="" basis="" by="" data="" determined="" emf="" establish="" exposure="" from="" instruments.="" is="" it="" mobile="" not="" o:p="" of="" on="" our="" phones="" possible="" result="" stress="" the="" these="" this="" to="" using="" whether="">
---
Black DR, Heynick LN.
Radiofrequency (RF) effects on blood cells, cardiac, endocrine, and immunological functions.
Bioelectromagnetics.
2003;Suppl 6:S187-95.
Abstract
Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RFEMF) on the
pituitary adrenocortical (ACTH), growth (GH), and thyroid (TSH) hormones have
been extensively studied, and there is coherent research on reproductive
hormones (FSH and LH). Those effects which have been identified are clearly
caused by heating. The exposure thresholds for these effects in living mammals,
including primates, have been established. There is limited evidence that
indicates no interaction between RFEMF and the pineal gland or an effect on prolactin
from the pituitary gland. Studies of RFEMF exposed blood cells have shown that
changes or damage do not occur unless the cells are heated. White cells
(leukocytes) are much more sensitive than red cells (erythrocytes) but white
cell effects remain consistent with normal physiological responses to systemic
temperature fluctuation. Lifetime studies of RFEMF exposed animals show no
cumulative adverse effects in their endocrine, hematological, or immune
systems. Cardiovascular tissue is not directly affected adversely in the
absence of significant RFEMF heating or electric currents. The regulation of
blood pressure is not influenced by ultra high frequency (UHF) RFEMF at levels
commonly encountered in the use of mobile communication devices.
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