Is Cellphone Carrying Below the Waist (Exposure to Non-Ionizing Radiation) Contributing to the Rapid Rise in Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer?

Abstract

Five years ago, Dr. De-Kun Li, a senior epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, CA, suggested a novel possibility: carrying a cell phone below the waist might increase the risk of EOCRC. He theorized that when a phone is placed in a pocket below the belt, it transmits radiofrequency (RF) radiation into the abdomen, potentially causing cancer—as demonstrated in some animal experiments. Despite initial skepticism, Dr. Li conducted a pilot study involving 50 EOCRC cases and 50 matched controls. The study found that individuals who carried a phone below the waist were four times more likely to develop tumors. The link was strongest when the phone was kept on the same side as the tumor (ipsilateral carrying). Those who carried a phone on the left side for more than 30,000 hours were 12 times more likely to develop a tumor on that side of the colon—a statistically significant finding. In contrast, carrying the phone on the right side (contralateral carrying) showed only a slight increase in left-side colon cancer risk.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Individuals carrying a cell phone below the waist were four times more likely to develop EOCRC. The risk was highest for ipsilateral carrying, with a 12-fold increase in tumor risk on the same side as the phone for those carrying it on the left side for over 30,000 hours.

Outcomes measured

• early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC)

Limitations

• Small pilot study with 50 cases and 50 controls
• Potential for recall bias in self-reported phone carrying habits
• No information on confounding factors or adjustment

Suggested hubs

• occupational-exposure (0.6)
  Study involves exposure to RF radiation from mobile phones carried on the body.

{
    "study_type": "case_control",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "mobile phone",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": ">30,000 hours for some participants"
    },
    "population": null,
    "sample_size": 100,
    "outcomes": [
        "early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Individuals carrying a cell phone below the waist were four times more likely to develop EOCRC. The risk was highest for ipsilateral carrying, with a 12-fold increase in tumor risk on the same side as the phone for those carrying it on the left side for over 30,000 hours.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Small pilot study with 50 cases and 50 controls",
        "Potential for recall bias in self-reported phone carrying habits",
        "No information on confounding factors or adjustment"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.40000000000000002220446049250313080847263336181640625,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "early-onset colorectal cancer",
        "radiofrequency radiation",
        "mobile phone",
        "cell phone carrying",
        "ipsilateral exposure"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "occupational-exposure",
            "weight": 0.59999999999999997779553950749686919152736663818359375,
            "reason": "Study involves exposure to RF radiation from mobile phones carried on the body."
        }
    ]
}

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