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Medical Hypotheses – Central nervous system lymphoma and radiofrequency radiation – a case report and incidence data in the Swedish Cancer Register on non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Editor — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 16:44:11 +0000

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987720309567?via%3Dihub

Abstract

Earlier animal studies have provided evidence that non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) may be caused by exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation. This was recently confirmed by the U.S. National Toxicology (NTP) study that showed an increased incidence of malignant lymphoma in female mice exposed to the GSM modulated or the CDMA modulated cell phone RF radiation. Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare malignancy in humans with poor prognosis. An increasing incidence has been reported in recent years. Based on a case-report we present the hypothesis that use of the hand-held mobile phone may be a risk factor for PCNSL. The increasing incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Sweden is discussed in relation to etiologic factors.

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NTP peer reviewed paper on DNA breaks induced by cell phone radiation published

Editor — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 17:36:03 +0000

Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis

Research Article

Evaluation of the genotoxicity of cell phone radiofrequency radiation in male and female rats and mice following subchronic exposure

Stephanie L. Smith‐Roe, Michael E. Wyde, Matthew D. Stout, John W. Winters, Cheryl A. Hobbs, Kim G. Shepard,

Amanda S. Green, Grace E. Kissling, Keith R. Shockley, Raymond R. Tice, John R. Bucher, Kristine L. Witt

First published: 21 October 2019

https://doi.org/10.1002/em.22343

This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copy, editing, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as doi: 10.1002/em.22343.

Abstract

The National Toxicology Program tested two common radiofrequency radiation (RFR) modulations emitted by cellular telephones in a 2‐year rodent cancer bioassay that included interim assessments of additional animals for genotoxicity endpoints. Male and female Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD rats and B6C3F1/N mice were exposed from gestation day 5 or postnatal day 35, respectively, to code division multiple access (CDMA) or global system for mobile (GSM) modulations over 18 h/day, at 10 min intervals, in reverberation chambers at specific absorption rates (SAR) of 1.5, 3, or 6 W/kg (rats, 900 MHz) or 2.5, 5, or 10 W/kg (mice, 1900 MHz). After 19 (rats) or 14 (mice) weeks of exposure, animals were examined for evidence of RFR‐associated genotoxicity using two different measures. Using the alkaline (pH > 13) comet assay, DNA damage was assessed in cells from three brain regions, liver cells, and peripheral blood leukocytes; using the micronucleus assay, chromosomal damage was assessed in immature and mature peripheral blood erythrocytes. Results of the comet assay showed significant increases in DNA damage in the frontal cortex of male mice (both modulations), leukocytes of female mice (CDMA only), and hippocampus of male rats (CDMA only). Increases in DNA damage judged to be equivocal were observed in several other tissues of rats and mice. No significant increases in micronucleated red blood cells were observed in rats or mice. In conclusion, these results suggest that exposure to RFR is associated with an increase in DNA damage.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/em.22343

Excerpts

The NTP bioassay was designed to evaluate non-thermal effects of cell phone RFR exposure, which meant that body temperature could not change more than 1 C under our exposure conditions …. Therefore, we consider it unlikely that thermal effects were a confounding factor for our genetic toxicity tests, although more work in general is needed to clarify the thermal effects of RFR on different tissues, and the degree to which increases in body or tissue temperature affect genomic integrity.

… our results and the results of other experiments suggest that non-thermal exposure of cells or whole organisms to RFR may result in measurable genotoxic effects, despite varied and weak responses across studies overall (Brusick et al., 1998; Ruediger, 2009; Verschaeve et al., 2010). Induction of oxygen radicals or interference with DNA repair processes have been proposed as possible mechanisms by which RFR could cause DNA damage (Ruediger 2009; Yakymenko et al. 2015).

… NTP Technical Reports on the results of the 2-year cancer bioassay for exposure to RFR for rats (TR 595) and mice (TR 596) were finalized, peer reviewed, and made publicly available in 2018. The NTP concluded that results demonstrated clear evidence of carcinogenic activity of cell phone RFR (both modulations) based on incidences of malignant schwannomas of the heart in male rats. Malignant gliomas in the brain were also observed in male rats exposed to cell phone RFR and were considered to be related to exposure. Female rats exhibited malignant schwannomas of the heart and malignant gliomas, but incidences of these tumors were considered equivocal. The observation that cell phone RFR affects heart and brain tissue in Sprague Dawley rats after long-term exposure was replicated in a similar study (that used only the GSM modulation) by the Ramazzini Institute (Falcioni et al., 2018). The gliomas and schwannomas observed in rats are similar to the tumor types reported in some epidemiology studies to be associated with cell phone use. The NTP bioassay findings in mice, in which different organs were affected compared to rats, were considered equivocal….

The highest exposure of 6 W/kg in rats and 10 W/kg in mice, for a total of 9 h 10 min a day (achieved by cycling for 10 min on, 10 min off over 18 h 20 min), produced higher exposures than experienced by humans under normal cellular phone use conditions. Thus, whether the findings in the NTP animal studies (e.g. malignant gliomas in the brain and malignant schwannomas in the hearts of male rats; increased levels of DNA damage in hippocampal cells of male rats and the frontal cortex of male mice) indicate a potential for adverse health outcomes in humans remains a question. Because one of the most important questions prompted by our results concerns the mechanism(s) by which RFR might induce biological effects, follow-up studies by the NTP to investigate mechanisms of genetic damage associated with RFR exposure are underway.

Note by EMFSA – also see:

The Significance of Primary Tumors in the NTP Study of Chronic Rat Exposure to Cell Phone Radiation

Publication of the NTP study on DNA “damage” – hold your horses… do not jump to premature conclusions…

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Mobile phone electromagnetic radiation affects Amyloid Precursor Protein and α-synuclein metabolism in SH-SY5Y cells

Editor — Sat, 07 Sep 2019 08:11:46 +0000

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pathophys.2019.02.004

Abstract

In this study, the effects of low-level, GSM emitted ElectroMagnetic Field (EMF) on Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and alpha-synuclein (α-syn) in human neuroblastoma cells was investigated. Our data indicated alterations on APP processing and cellular topology, following EMF exposure (ℇ = 10.51 V/m, SAR = 0.23 W/kg, exposure time: 3 times, for 10 min, for 2 days). Furthermore, changes in monomeric α-syn accumulation and multimerization, as well as induction of oxidative stress and cell death, were documented. The results presented here require further investigation to determine potential links of EMF with the molecular pathogenic mechanisms in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases.

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Residential exposure to ultra high frequency electromagnetic fields emitted by Global System for Mobile (GSM) antennas and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis incidence: A geo-epidemiological population-based study

Editor — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 08:38:31 +0000

Source:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935119303202?via%3Dihub

The abstract can be viewed at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27864434

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“More Than a Coincidence” New Large Animal Study, Like NTP’s, Links RF to Schwannoma of the Heart

Editor — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 16:50:05 +0000

“More Than a Coincidence”

Microwave News http://microwavenews.com/news-center/more-coincidence

New Large Animal Study, Like NTP’s, Links RF to Schwannoma of the Heart

February 20, 2018

It’s happened again.

A second large study has found tumors in the Schwann cells —schwannomas— in the hearts of male rats exposed to cell phone radiation.

The new finding comes from the Ramazzini Institute in Bologna, Italy.

The malignant schwannomas of the heart seen in the Italian study are the same as those described by the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) earlier this month as the basis for their concern that cell phone radiation, both GSM and CDMA, can lead to cancer. Ramazzini embarked on its RF project in 2005, about the same time as the NTP effort was taking off.

A paper detailing the Ramazzini experiment is expected to be published in Environmental Research, a peer-reviewed journal, within a week.

“It is a positive study and will buttress the findings from the NTP rat study,” Tony Miller told Microwave News. Miller, an emeritus professor of epidemiology at the University of Toronto, is serving as the guest editor for a special issue of the journal, which will include the Ramazzini paper. Miller declined to offer any other details prior to publication.

Fiorella Belpoggi, the Ramazzini Institute’s director of research, presented preliminary results of the study last fall. Speaking at the annual symposium of the Collegium Ramazzini, known as “Ramazzini Days,” in late October, Belpoggi reported finding schwannomas in the heart of male rats exposed to GSM cell phone radiation, according to a number of those who were at the meeting. (The abstract of Belpoggi’s paper is available here.)

This is “more than a coincidence,” was a typical response from close observers of cell phone toxicology studies who had heard or were told of the new results. No one wanted to speak for attribution until they had a chance to read the new Ramazzini paper. “It’s amazing given that malignant schwannoma of the heart is a super rare cancer,” said one of those interviewed.

In an e-mail exchange, Belpoggi confirmed that her paper would be available online within days. She would not comment further.

A total of 2,448 rats were exposed to 1.8 GHz GSM radiation for their entire lifetime in the Ramazzini study. The radiation used in the Ramazzini study was designed to mimic that transmitted by a cell phone base station. The rats were exposed to 5, 25, or 50 V/m for 19 hours per day from before birth until spontaneous death. Equivalent SARs are not provided in the abstract. As the rats grew larger, the SARs will have decreased. (The NTP exposures were at 900 MHz and were limited to two years.)

Schwann Cells at the Center of Attention

Schwann cells play a key role in the functioning of the peripheral nervous system. They make the myelin sheath, which insulates nerve fibers and helps speed the conduction of electrical impulses. There are Schwann cells just about everywhere there are peripheral nerve fibers. They are present in most organs of the body —whether mice, rats or humans. Schwann cell tumors are called schwannomas.

The NTP found schwannomas in many other organs, in addition to the heart, of rats chronically exposed to cell phone radiation. These included a variety of glands (pituitary, salivary and thymus), the trigeminal nerve and the eye. The NTP notes that the combined incidence of schwannoma in all organs was “generally higher” in the GSM-exposed male rats, but it was not “significantly different” from the unexposed controls. Still, the rate doubled at 3 W/Kg, the mid-exposure level, and was even higher at 6 W/Kg (Table A-2).

The NTP also saw schwannomas in the uterus, ovary and vagina of female rats.

“There are lots of nerve fibers wrapped in Schwann cells,” David Carpenter told us by e-mail. “We are learning that if the exposure is focused at one place, like the head, the schwannomas occur in the auditory nerve, whereas if it is a whole-body exposure they occur elsewhere, such as in the heart.” Carpenter, a medical doctor who trained as a neurophysiologist, is the director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University of Albany in upstate New York.

“It is also striking that other tumors occurred in organs such as the prostate, pancreas, thyroid and liver in the NTP study,” Carpenter added, “These observations suggest a much greater number of sensitive organs than we have previously documented in humans to date.”

Schwann Cells Are a Type of Glial Cell

The brain has no Schwann cells —the brain is part of the central nervous system. There, glial cells play a similar function. In fact, Schwann cells are a type of glial cell. Here’s part of what the NTP wrote in its report on the RF–exposed rats:

“Schwann cells are similar to glial cells in the brain in that they are specialized supportive cells whose functions include maintaining homeostasis, forming myelin and providing support and protection for neurons of the peripheral nervous system.”

Tumors of the glial cells are called gliomas. The NTP also saw an increase in glioma among the male rats exposed to GSM and CDMA radiation.

Higher rates of glioma have been reported in a number of epidemiological studies of cell phone users. The other tumor linked to cell phone radiation in human studies is acoustic neuroma, a tumor of the auditory nerve. This is a type of schwannoma, formally called a vestibular schwannoma.

While schwannomas and gliomas are commonly non-cancerous tumors, they can develop into malignant schwannomas or glioblastomas (they are malignant too). Both of these can spread and are thus true cancers.

Suddenly, it seems, a more coherent picture of the human and animal RF–cancer data is emerging with tumors of Schwann and glial cells at its center. The implication is that instead of searching for consistency in RF’s ability to cause cancer in specific organs, the emphasis should now be on specific cell types —beginning with Schwann cells in the periphery and glial cells in the brain.

Power Line EMFs Also Linked to Schwannomas of the Heart

Interestingly, an earlier Ramazzini study looking at the combined action of a single dose of gamma radiation (ionizing radiation) and lifetime exposure to power-frequency (50 Hz) EMFs led to a statistically significant excess of malignant schwannoma of the heart among male rats —even at an exposure of only 20 μT (200 mG). Those results were published in the International Journal of Radiation Biology in 2016 and have not drawn widespread attention.

In that paper, the Ramazzini researchers commented that malignant schwannoma of the heart is “a rare tumor in rodents, as it is in humans.” They noted:

“Heart malignant schwannoma is not a frequent tumor among male Sprague-Dawley rats from our colony. Out of 2415 males, the overall incidence of heart malignant schwannomas is 0.7% (range 0–2%).”

Like Ramazzini, the NTP used Sprague-Dawley rats for its RF exposure studies.

Is It Time for IARC To Re-Evaluate RF Radiation?

In her talk last October, Belpoggi said that the NTP findings alone should lead the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to re-evaluate its 2011 designation of RF radiation as a “possible” human cancer risk —perhaps upgrading it to “probable.” Belpoggi went on that if the Ramazzini study were to confirm the NTP findings, such a re-evaluation would become urgent.

Ramazzini now appears to have at least partially replicated the NTP results.

Historically, there have long been strong ties between the NTP and the Ramazzini Institute, leading a number of those interviewed to believe that the NTP might well have been aware of the Belpoggi’s new findings for some time. John Bucher, the leader of the NTP RF–animal project, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The special issue of Environmental Research with the Ramazzini paper is devoted to presentations from a forum on Wireless Radiation and Human Health held in Israel in January 2017. Belpoggi spoke there and then again, nine months later, at the Ramazzini Days symposium. The Israeli meeting was organized by the Environmental Health Trust.

For more on the NTP RF project, follow this link.

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The effect of mobile phone electromagnetic radiation on brain vessels

Editor — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 12:31:13 +0000

Malikova MA

Kaliaev AO

Sukhoruchkin AA

Bakhmetev AS

DOI: 10.15761/SCRR.1000104

Abstract

Objective : This is a study to assess the impact of the global system for mobile communication (GSM) mobile phone electromagnetic radiation on the main vessels of the brain.

Material and methods: This was a cross sectional study which included 55 volunteers between 18-66 years old, who were examined by stationary device Philips HD 11 expert class phased sectoral sensor with a frequency of 2-4MHz at the Ultrasonic and Functional Diagnostics Department of the Mirotvortseva hospital, which is affiliated with Saratov State Medical University (SSMU) and in the clinic ” Stroygrad Medical Center ” in Kirsanov city, Tambov region.

Results: The study included 55 volunteers between 18-66 years old (average age was 38.95 years) with permeable trans-temporal acoustic windows and without chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic cerebral ischemia, coronary heart disease and no initial spasm in middle cerebral artery (MCA). The study was conducted in the supine position with enabled mobile phone in talk mode for 7 minutes. The blood flow velocity (BFV) and resistive index (RI) in the MCA (middle cerebral artery) were measured on both sides at baseline and after 7 minutes of talking on a mobile phone. Cerebral vasospasm was considered if detected RI was 0.65 and above.

In order to minimize the measurement error, the same modern mobile phone was utilized for all studied subjects. The analysis of the data revealed an initial increase in the BFV and RI in the MCA in all patients by the end of 7 minutes of conversation. Unilateral spasm of various degree was detected by ultrasound in the middle cerebral artery of 27 out of 55 examined patients (50%) after 7 minutes of them talking on a mobile phone. Average RI value was 0.66 ± 0.04 on the ipsilateral side of MCA with range of a minimum RI detected at 0.59, and maximum value of 0.75. On the contralateral side of MCA an average RI value was detected as 0.66 ± 0.04, with range of 0.60-0.74. Therefore, interaction with mobile phone for period of time up to 7 minutes in most cases gave rise to moderately expressed spasm on both sides. The results were independent of gender and blood pressure.

Conclusions: MCA spasm recorded as a result of prolonged mobile phone call (about 7 minutes), was detected in 60% of examined subjects, which may indicate the importance of this potential risk factor in causing headaches and other negative psychological factors (i.e. lack of attention, sleep disturbances, irritability etc.).

Introduction

The 21st century is the time of high level technology. There are a lot of gadgets of telecommunications in everyday use. The most popular gadgets are cell or mobile phones and smartphones. The dramatic worldwide increase in use of cellular phones has prompted concerns regarding potential harmful effects of exposure to radiofrequency-modulated electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). Of a particular concern has been the potential carcinogenic effects from the RF-EMF emissions of cell phones. [1] However, the results of epidemiologic studies, which examined association between the cell phone use and prevalence of brain tumors, have been inconsistent. Some studies showed increased risk, but the issue remains unresolved. [2]. RF-EMFs emitted by cell phones are absorbed in the brain within a range that could influence neuronal activity. [3] Thermal effects from RF-EMFs have also been invoked as a mechanism that could affect neuronal activity, although temperature changes produced by current cell phone technology are likely minimal. [4] Numerous studies have examined the effect of RF-EMR on a persons’ psychological status, the correlation between the duration of a call, and the development of cancer disease, etc. We found no results in current publications that demonstrated RF-EMR effect on brain vessels. It is well-established fact that persistent cerebral vasospasm causes persistent headaches, reduces efficiency, causes irritation, fatigue and disturbed sleep patterns. [5-8]

Discussion

When analyzing the data obtained, an increase in BFV and RI in the MCA was found in all 55 examined subjects (100%) after 7 minutes of exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phone device.

The spasm of various degree was detected bilaterally in the MCA in 22 examined subjects by the end of a long conversation on a mobile phone (40 %). The moderately expressed unilateral spasm (mean RI value 0.72) was observed in 11 subjects out of 55 studied in total (20 %), including men with average age of 23.3 years old and women with average age 36.6 years. We noted a trend that patients who were 45 years old and above were less affected by EMR. This observation can be attributed to the more rigid arterial walls in older patients.

The spasm with mild to severe degree was detected in the younger group of subjects (18-45 years old). The artery walls are more elastic and probably more prone to be affected by EMR at a younger age. Thus, ultrasound exam allowed to see changes in the brain artery in majority of patients bilaterally after 7 minutes of interaction with EMR emitted by the mobile phone.

Conclusions

In this pilot study the talk for more than 7 minutes on a cell phone in most cases (60%) led to the spasm of the main cerebral artery in the assessed subjects, which indicates the high importance of EMR as a potential risk factor for headaches and other negative psychological factors (i.e. lack of attention, disturbance of the structure of sleep, irritability, memory impairment, etc.). When comparing the occurrence of spasm between ipsilateral and contralateral sides of MCA, it was noted that in most cases the ipsilateral side of the MCA got affected mostly. However, in some patient’s unilateral changes of RI and BFV were observed in either ipsilateral or contralateral side of the MCA. This is a pilot study which requires further prospective, randomized, controlled investigations to fully understand the degree of the effect of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the cell phones on the blood vessels of the brain.

http://www.oatext.com/the-effect-of-mobile-phone-electromagnetic-radiation-on-brain-vessels.php#Article

References

Volkow N.D, Tomasi D, Wang G.J, Vaska P, Joanna S. Fowler J.S (2011) Effects of cell phone radiofrequency signal exposure on brain glucose metabolism. JAMA 305: 808–813 [Crossref]
Dubey RB1, Hanmandlu M, Gupta SK (2010) Risk of brain tumours from wireless phone use. J Comput Assist Tomogr 34: 799-807 [Crossref]
Kleinlogel H, Dierks T, Koenig T, Lehmann H, Minder A (2008) Effects of weak mobile phone–electromagnetic fields (GSM, UMTS) on event related potentials and cognitive functions. Bioelectromagnetics. 29: 488–497 [Crossref]
Wainwright P1 (2000) Thermal effects of radiation from cellular telephones. Phys Med Biol 45: 2363-2372 [Crossref]
Logg C.R, Tai C.K, Log A, Anderson W.F, Kasahara N (2001) A uniquely stable replication-competent vector achieves efficient gene delivery in vitro and in solid tumours. Human Gene Therapy. 12: 921-932 [Crossref]
Benson V.S, Pirie K, Schuz J, Reeves G.K, Beral V, Green J (2013) Mobile phone use and risk of brain neoplasms and other cancers: prospective study. Int J Epidemiol 42: 792-802 [Crossref]
Frei P, Poulsen A.H, Johansen C, Olsen J, Steding-Jessen M (2011) Use of mobile phones and risk of brain tumours: update of Danish cohort study. BMJ 11: 343

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