Follow-Up Research on NTP’s Clear Evidence on RF Causing Malignant Tumors in Rats

Abstract

Follow-Up Research on NTP’s Clear Evidence on RF Causing Malignant Tumors in Rats Lin JC. Follow-Up Research on NTP’s Clear Evidence on RF Causing Malignant Tumors in Rats [Health Matters]. IEEE Microwave Magazine. 25(6):16-18. June 2024. doi: 10.1109/MMM.2024.3378608. Abstract The recent disclosure of the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) closing down its RF radiation research program on how RF radiation causes cancer was a surprise [1], [2], [3]. NTP is a part of the National Institutes of Health and reports to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NTP’s mandates are to provide the scientific basis for programs, activities, and policies that promote health or lead to the prevention of disease. Excerpts In 2018, NTP published the final report on its US$30 million laboratory research showing “clear evidence” that lifelong exposure to low-level RF radiation caused cancers in rats [6], [7], [8]. The statistically significant findings showed that both GSM- and CDMA-modulated 900-MHz RF radiation had led to the development of malignant schwannoma, a rare form of tumor in the hearts of male rats. Furthermore, an independent analysis of the NTP data for overall cancer incidence detected in any organ or tissue inside the animal showed that rats exposed to GSM and CDMA cellphone RF radiation had significantly higher overall or total primary tumor incidence than the concurrent controls.... The NTP findings of clear evidence that RF radiation can cause cancer was already reaffirmed by the Ramazzini Institute study from Italy [10].... In 2019, NTP announced a new genotoxicology project designed to examine how RF radiation causes cancer.... Apparently, now, close to five years later, the new project has never progressed beyond the feasibility studies with the compact exposure chambers. Moreover, the NTP located in Research Triangle Park, NC, USA, no longer plans to study biological effects from cellphone RF radiation. NTP has decided that “the research was technically challenging and more resource-intensive than expected.” This effectively marks the end of the nonmilitary governmental project in the United States to study the biological effects of cellphone or RF radiation. Any future NTP publications on the topic would come from the feasibility studies only [3]. Unfortunately, whether the U.S. civilian government halts doing the important research on mechanistic causes for cancer from low-level chronic exposure to RF radiation or not, nearly 100% of all Americans are being cast as subjects in a massive health experiment without a formal protocol. Furthermore, billions of people worldwide, including the young and older adults, are being exposed to unnecessary levels of human-made wireless RF radiation. The obvious question is, what happened? Should we all forget about NTP’s findings of clear scientific evidence that lifelong exposure to low-level RF radiation causes cancer from a federal government health agency that prides itself in telling the nation that its product is “science you can depend on for decisions that matter”? Postscript: It is interesting to recall that the recently announced termination of NTP’s RF research program on how RF radiation causes cancer practically halts most, if not all, biological research of RF radiation supported by the civilian U.S. government. In contrast, the military arm of the U.S. government through its Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has initiated a new research program on the roles RF radiation may have in biological systems [11]. DARPA’s historical and contemporary contributions to scientific and technological advancements are widely known. Thus, it poses the question, what does DARPA know about RF radiation on biological systems? ieeexplore.ieee.org

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

This article discusses NTP’s 2018 final report describing “clear evidence” that lifelong exposure to low-level 900-MHz GSM- and CDMA-modulated RF radiation caused malignant schwannoma in the hearts of male rats, and reports an independent analysis indicating higher overall primary tumor incidence in exposed rats versus controls. It states that NTP later announced a genotoxicology project to study mechanisms but that the program was reportedly closed and did not progress beyond feasibility studies.

Outcomes measured

• Cancer incidence
• Malignant schwannoma (heart)
• Overall/total primary tumor incidence
• Genotoxicity (planned mechanistic project)

Limitations

• Appears to be a commentary/review summarizing prior studies and program decisions rather than presenting new experimental data.
• No methodological details, exposure metrics (e.g., SAR), or sample sizes are provided in the abstract/excerpts.
• Claims about independent reanalysis and reaffirmation by another institute are not described with methods or results in the provided text.
• Publication year is not explicitly stated in the provided metadata (though a June 2024 citation is included in the excerpt).

Suggested hubs

• cell-phones (0.9)
  Focuses on cellphone RF (GSM/CDMA) and NTP findings related to cellphone-type exposures.

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    "publication_year": null,
    "study_type": "review",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "cell phone",
        "frequency_mhz": 900,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "lifelong (as described for NTP rat study)"
    },
    "population": "Rats (as discussed via NTP findings)",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Cancer incidence",
        "Malignant schwannoma (heart)",
        "Overall/total primary tumor incidence",
        "Genotoxicity (planned mechanistic project)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "This article discusses NTP’s 2018 final report describing “clear evidence” that lifelong exposure to low-level 900-MHz GSM- and CDMA-modulated RF radiation caused malignant schwannoma in the hearts of male rats, and reports an independent analysis indicating higher overall primary tumor incidence in exposed rats versus controls. It states that NTP later announced a genotoxicology project to study mechanisms but that the program was reportedly closed and did not progress beyond feasibility studies.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Appears to be a commentary/review summarizing prior studies and program decisions rather than presenting new experimental data.",
        "No methodological details, exposure metrics (e.g., SAR), or sample sizes are provided in the abstract/excerpts.",
        "Claims about independent reanalysis and reaffirmation by another institute are not described with methods or results in the provided text.",
        "Publication year is not explicitly stated in the provided metadata (though a June 2024 citation is included in the excerpt)."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.66000000000000003108624468950438313186168670654296875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "stance": "concern",
    "stance_confidence": 0.85999999999999998667732370449812151491641998291015625,
    "summary": "This piece summarizes and emphasizes NTP’s 2018 conclusion of “clear evidence” that lifelong low-level 900-MHz GSM/CDMA RF exposure caused malignant schwannoma in male rat hearts and reports higher overall tumor incidence in exposed rats versus controls based on an independent analysis. It states that NTP later announced mechanistic/genotoxicity follow-up work but that the RF research program was reportedly terminated after only feasibility studies. The framing highlights concern about widespread population exposure and reduced civilian U.S. government research activity on RF biological effects.",
    "key_points": [
        "Describes NTP’s 2018 final report as finding “clear evidence” of RF-related cancers in rats under lifelong exposure conditions.",
        "Specifies statistically significant malignant schwannoma in the hearts of male rats with 900-MHz GSM and CDMA modulation.",
        "Reports that an independent analysis of NTP data found higher overall primary tumor incidence in exposed rats compared with controls.",
        "States that NTP announced a genotoxicology project in 2019 to investigate mechanisms but that it did not progress beyond feasibility studies.",
        "Reports that NTP has closed down or no longer plans to study biological effects from cellphone RF radiation due to technical/resource challenges.",
        "Frames the termination as effectively ending a major nonmilitary U.S. government RF bioeffects research effort and raises concerns about widespread exposure."
    ],
    "categories": [
        "RF",
        "Cancer",
        "Animal Studies",
        "Policy & Research Funding"
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    "tags": [
        "National Toxicology Program",
        "Rat Study",
        "Radiofrequency Radiation",
        "Cell Phone Signals",
        "GSM",
        "CDMA",
        "900 MHz",
        "Malignant Schwannoma",
        "Heart Tumors",
        "Tumor Incidence",
        "Genotoxicology",
        "Research Program Termination",
        "Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis"
    ],
    "keywords": [
        "NTP",
        "RF radiation",
        "radiofrequency",
        "cancer",
        "rats",
        "GSM",
        "CDMA",
        "900 MHz",
        "malignant schwannoma",
        "tumor incidence",
        "genotoxicology",
        "feasibility studies"
    ],
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            "reason": "Focuses on cellphone RF (GSM/CDMA) and NTP findings related to cellphone-type exposures."
        }
    ],
    "social": {
        "tweet": "IEEE Microwave Magazine commentary discusses NTP’s 2018 “clear evidence” report linking lifelong 900‑MHz GSM/CDMA RF exposure to malignant schwannoma in male rat hearts, and notes NTP’s reported shutdown of follow‑up mechanistic RF research.",
        "facebook": "An IEEE Microwave Magazine Health Matters article reviews NTP’s 2018 findings of “clear evidence” that lifelong low-level 900‑MHz GSM/CDMA RF exposure caused malignant schwannoma in male rat hearts, and reports that NTP’s planned mechanistic follow-up work did not progress beyond feasibility studies before the program was reportedly terminated.",
        "linkedin": "This IEEE Microwave Magazine commentary revisits NTP’s 2018 final report describing “clear evidence” of RF-related malignant schwannoma in male rats under lifelong 900‑MHz GSM/CDMA exposure, and discusses the reported closure of NTP’s follow-up genotoxicology/mechanistic RF research program."
    }
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