Phone-Related Breast Cancer Questioned
ABC News
June 05, 2001
The head of
the New South Wales Cancer Council says it is unlikely a man from Orange
developed breast cancer after carrying his mobile phone in his top pocket.
Dr Stewart Porges, who is treating the man, says his patient claims carrying
his mobile around in his breast pocket "for years" caused the cancer to
develop.
However, cancer council chief executive officer Dr Andrew Penman says
research shows mobile phones only emit radiation when in use, that is,
during conversation.
Dr Penman says it has not been proven mobiles cause radiation exposure when
they are switched on but not in use.
"If a person was simply carrying a mobile phone in their breast pocket and
taking it out for use, for sending and receiving calls the breast, in fact,
would receive no radiation at all," he said.
"[There would be] no radiation while the phone was off and minimal radiation
if the phone was removed for a conversation, so I think that's unlikely."
Dr Porges says his patient's claims are worth looking into because the
medical fraternity has been aware of a possible link between radiation
emissions and the development of cancer for several years.
Dr Penman says there is no known cases of this occurring.
"I'm sure that there have been people with breast cancer who are mobile
phone users, but there's no evidence that people with mobile phones are more
likely to develop breast cancer than anyone else," he said.