Study type: Epidemiological study (observational study)

Environmental risk factors for sporadic acoustic neuroma (Interphone Study Group, Germany) epidem.

Published in: Eur J Cancer 2007; 43 (11): 1741-1747

Aim of study (acc. to author)

Environmental risk factors for sporadic acoustic neuroma were investigated in a population-based case-control study in Germany.

Further details

This study is part of the INTERPHONE project.
Acoustic neuroma occurs in two forms: a sporadic, mostly unilateral form and a hereditary, mostly bilateral form.
Regular use of cellular phone was defined as at least one incoming or outgoing call per week for 6 months or more.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Type of risk estimation: (odds ratio (OR))

Exposure

Assessment

Exposure groups

Group Description
Reference group 1 regular mobile phone use: never
Group 2 regular mobile phone use: ever
Reference group 3 time since first regular use: never or < 1 year
Group 4 time since first regular use: 1 - 4 years
Group 5 time since first regular use: 5 - 9 years
Group 6 time since first regular use: ≥ 10 years
Reference group 7 life-time number of calls: never use
Group 8 life-time number of calls: ≤ 1176
Group 9 life-time number of calls: > 1176 - ≤ 4350
Group 10 life-time number of calls: > 4350
Reference group 11 life-time duration of calls: never use
Group 12 life-time duration of calls: ≤ 44 hours
Group 13 life-time duration of calls: > 44 - ≤ 195 hours
Group 14 life-time duration of calls: > 195 hours
Reference group 15 specified occupational exposure: not or not highly exposed
Group 16 specified occupational exposure: highly exposed

Population

Case group

Control group

Study size

Cases Controls
Eligible 105 368
Participants 97 202
Participation rate 89 % 55 %
Evaluable 97 194
Statistical analysis method: (adjustment: )

Results (acc. to author)

No increased risk was observed for acoustic neuroma and a regular use of mobile phones. A non-significantly increased risk was found for high occupational RF-EMF, but the analysis was based on very small numbers of highly exposed persons (7 cases and 10 controls).
Exposure to RF-EMF was not associated with the risk of acoustic neuoma.

Study funded by

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