The Truth about Cell Phones and Cancer

Editor's Note (2026): This article has been updated where scientific understanding has changed since it was originally published. Updated information is marked with an asterisk (*) and explained in the Update Notes at the end of the article.

What the experts said (as summarized by the American Cancer Society at the time of writing):

American Cancer Society (ACS): Taken as a whole, most studies to date have not found a link between cell phone use and the development of tumors.

National Cancer Institute (NCI): Although research has not consistently demonstrated a link between cellular telephone use and cancer, scientists still caution that further surveillance is needed before conclusions can be drawn.

National Toxicology Program (NTP): While the weight of the current scientific evidence has not conclusively linked cell phones with any health problems, the NTP and other scientific organizations conclude that additional data are needed.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Although some studies have raised concerns, the scientific research, when taken together, does not indicate a significant association between cell phone use and health effects.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC): There is no scientific evidence that proves that wireless phone usage can lead to cancer or a variety of other problems, including headaches, dizziness or memory loss. However, organizations in the United States and overseas are sponsoring research and investigating claims of possible health effects related to the use of wireless telephones.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA): The majority of studies published have failed to show an association between exposure to radiofrequency from a cell phone and health problems.

The source of this information was the American Cancer Society's cell phone page. That page is no longer available, but the current American Cancer Society page covers the same topic.

*Where things stand today: Since this article was written, the World Health Organization's cancer agency (IARC) classified cell phone radio waves as "possibly carcinogenic," its weakest category of concern, based on limited evidence. A large federal study also found tumors in male rats exposed to very high levels of cell phone radiation for most of their lives, but the FDA concluded those results should not be applied to human cell phone use. Most recently, a 2024 review of 28 years of research, commissioned by the World Health Organization, found that cell phone use likely does not increase the risk of brain tumors in adults or children. The National Cancer Institute and the FDA both continue to report no consistent evidence that cell phones cause cancer.

We have been encouraged not to let the kids use cell phones and to use the speaker phone. For your ease, the only person I have let my child talk to on the phone is her mother. . . at least I cannot recall anyone else. I did go further and research the issue. Most of the negative reports are written by activists and seem to be more attention-getting news for fame seekers. The first article below is about the major group behind the cell phone scare. Most of the negative articles pointed to this group. The second one is the New York Times, which is the most credible of the newspapers. I specifically targeted articles that used the term debate in order to get both sides (the last two). It seems most of the studies cannot be duplicated, which is the death of a study. If a study cannot be repeated, then it is usually thrown out. The critics of the clean bill of health say the studies are corrupted because of the amount of money on the line. *However, there has not been an increase in brain cancer rates even with an estimated 9.2 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide. Those that will not make money on the call are saying that the evidence doesn't support a cancer risk, but they are also saying they will not know for certain for another 10 years. *More than ten years have now passed, and the 2024 World Health Organization review found no link between cell phone use and brain cancer, even among people who had used cell phones for ten years or more.

On a personal note, companies I sell like Sennheiser who make headsets would double their business overnight if a study could provide concrete evidence. Certain companies would make millions on a cancer link and would quickly exploit it.

The argument is not about cell phones but all EMR devices including Wireless Internet, All Cordless Phones, and any wireless device. This is an article about the group that is trying to eliminate all EMR devices. Please note that nothing they have said has been proven, but they want to take preventive measures just in case. (Epoch Times; this article is no longer available online.)

That supposed link has been largely dismissed by many experts, including the American Cancer Society. The theory that cell phones cause brain tumors "defies credulity," said Dr. Eugene Flamm, chairman of neurosurgery at Montefiore Medical Center. Cell phones emit non-ionizing radiation, waves of energy that are too weak to break chemical bonds or to set off the DNA damage known to cause cancer. There is no known biological mechanism to explain how non-ionizing radiation might lead to cancer.
New York Times: Experts Revive Debate Over Cellphones and Cancer (2008)

This article agrees that the studies primarily discredit any health concerns but brings up that the studies could be slanted because of damaging a multibillion dollar business. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer; this article is no longer available online.)

I know it is annoying to have a friend that looks up everything. But eliminating unnecessary fear is important for the health and well being of our children and ourselves.

I would prefer to not pass on fear statements unless I send the link of my source. Many people pass on rumors they hear without researching it for themselves. I would argue that fear has caused more deaths than cancer and automobiles combined (pretty much every war has been fueled by fear). If we can control our fear, we protect ourselves and everyone around us. It makes me feel criticized when someone tells me something I am doing is giving my kid cancer. If I am giving my kid cancer, I don't want to do it ever again. Please rip it from my hand. If I am not giving my kid cancer, I don't want to go through the emotional strain for no reason.

Originally written April 30, 2010. Updated 2026.

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Update Notes (click to expand)

1. What the experts say today

• Original wording: The list of expert statements was presented without a date or any later developments.
• Why it changed: The list reflects what these organizations said when this article was written. Three major developments came later, so a summary of current evidence was added after the list, and the list was labeled as a snapshot from that time.
• Current evidence: In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified radiofrequency fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), based on limited evidence of increased glioma risk among wireless phone users. In 2018, the National Toxicology Program found clear evidence of heart tumors in male rats exposed to high levels of 2G and 3G cell phone radiation; the FDA concluded these findings should not be applied to human cell phone use. In 2024, a systematic review commissioned by the World Health Organization found moderate-certainty evidence that cell phone use likely does not increase the risk of brain tumors in adults or children.
• Sources: IARC Press Release No. 208 (2011); National Toxicology Program: High Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation (2018); FDA: Scientific Evidence for Cell Phone Safety; Karipidis et al., Environment International (2024); National Cancer Institute: Cell Phones and Cancer Risk

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2. Cell phone subscriptions and brain cancer rates

• Original wording: "However, there has not been an increase in Brain Cancer worldwide even with an estimated 4.1 billion cell phone subscriptions worldwide."
• Why it changed: The number of subscriptions has more than doubled since this was written. The point itself still holds.
• Current evidence: The International Telecommunication Union reports 9.2 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide in 2025. Researchers who led the 2024 WHO review note that despite the massive increase in wireless technology use over the last 20 years, brain cancer rates have not risen.
• Sources: ITU Facts and Figures 2025: Mobile Subscriptions; ARPANSA: WHO Review Finds No Link Between Mobile Phone Use and Brain Cancer (2024)

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3. "Another 10 years"

• Original wording: The article ended this thought with "they will not know for certain for another 10 years." That sentence is kept, and a follow-up sentence was added.
• Why it changed: More than ten years have passed, and long-term evidence is now available.
• Current evidence: The 2024 WHO-commissioned review found no association with cancer among people who had used a mobile phone for ten or more years.
• Sources: Karipidis et al., Environment International (2024); ARPANSA (2024)

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Editor's Notes

• Three original links no longer work and were removed. They are listed here for the record: American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_1_3X_Cellular_Phones.asp?sitearea=PED), Epoch Times (http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/12653/), and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (http://www.seattlepi.com/local/373306_cellfonoma02.html).
• The New York Times link was replaced with the article's clean web address.
• "Fear has caused more deaths than cancer and automobiles combined" was originally stated as fact. Because it cannot be verified, it now reads as the author's opinion ("I would argue").
• Minor spelling and grammar corrections were made throughout.