No evidence cellphones can cause cancer: US oncologist

PTI Updated - October 06, 2011 at 04:50 PM.

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Contrary to the reports, there are no studies to prove that mobile users are prone to cancer, a senior US oncologist said here on Thursday, adding radiation from the electronic devices is “minuscule“.

“There is no evidence anywhere whatsoever that mobile devices or mobile phones have anything to do with any cancer,” said Mr Jatin P Shah, Professor of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York.

He said there was unnecessary fear created in the minds of people linking mobile usage to cancer which is incorrect. “There is no scientific evidence in the world to link both. Even mobile towers do not cause any cancer,” he said.

Mr Shah is in Goa to attend a joint meeting of the Foundation for Head and Neck Oncology and Asian Society of Head and Neck Oncology.

“There are no studies to prove that electronic gadgets cause cancer. We do know that the radiations emanating from electric transfer is of minuscule nature and do not cause any harm to the people in the vicinity or those exposed to it,” Shah said.

Commenting that media sometimes creates panic adding to the popular perception that cellphones cause cancer, he said “public at large only read what they want to read“.

Replying to a query, the senior oncologist said, “nothing can be said what will be studied and researched in future about this aspect. What will happen tomorrow, I don’t know. May be new knowledge will come about with new observations on this aspect.”

Millions of mobiles are used all over the world and we have not heard about any ill effect, he added.

Published on October 6, 2011 11:10