What can cell phone users do to reduce their exposure to radiofrequency radiation?
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The FDA has suggested some steps that concerned cell phone users can take to reduce their exposure to radiofrequency radiation46:
- Reserve the use of cell phones for shorter conversations or for times when a landline phone is not available.
- Use a device with hands-free technology, such as wired headsets, which place more distance between the phone and the head of the user.
Hands-free kits reduce the amount of radiofrequency radiation exposure to the head because the antenna, which is the source of energy, is not placed against the head.37 Exposures decline dramatically when cell phones are used hands-free.
Where can I find more information about radiofrequency radiation from my cell phone?
The FCC provides information about the specific absorption rate (SAR) of cell phones produced and marketed within the last 1 to 2 years. The SAR corresponds with the relative amount of radiofrequency radiation absorbed by the head of a cell phone user.47 Consumers can access this information using the phone’s FCC ID number, which is usually located on the case of the phone, and the FCC’s ID search form.
How common is brain cancer? Has the incidence of brain cancer changed over time?
Brain cancer incidence and mortality (death) rates have changed little in the past decade.
In the United States, 23,880 new diagnoses and 16,830 deaths from brain and other central nervous systemcancers are estimated for 2018.48
There is great variability in survival by brain tumor subtype, and by age at diagnosis. Overall, the 5-year relative survival for brain cancers diagnosed from 2008 through 2014 was 33.2%.49 This is the percentage of people diagnosed with brain cancer who will still be alive 5 years after diagnosis compared with the survival of a person of the same age and sex who does not have cancer.
The risk of developing brain cancer increases with age. From 2011 through 2015, there were fewer than 4.5 brain cancer cases for every 100,000 people in the United States under age 65, compared with approximately 19.1 cases for every 100,000 people in the United States who were ages 65 or older.49
Selected References
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