Dr Vini G Khurana, a fellow of the Australasian college of neurosurgeons, has published a report which purports to show that "there is a growing and statistically significant body of evidence reporting that brain tumours such as vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma) and astrocytoma are associated with 'heavy' and 'prolonged' mobile phone use, particularly on the same side as the 'preferred ear' for telephony".
The silicon.com news item concludes
While there is still no proven link between cancer and exposure to electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone use, Khurana said the growing body of evidence is cause for concern. Children's use of mobiles is particularly worrying, he claims, suggesting kids' use of mobiles should be restricted to emergency situations only.
This last was also the recommendation of the Stewart inquiry into mobile phones.
N.B. This is not an argument against mobile phone masts, rather for an increase in the number of masts. This would tend to reduce the power of transmissions from mobile handsets and thus the effect on the user. One of the most marked increases in acoustic neuromas associated with mobile phone use was reported from Finland, where the distance between masts is greater than average. (It has to be admitted that the numbers involved, as with so many mobile phone studies, are small, statistically speaking.)
There can be good reasons for objecting to masts in residential areas - ugliness being prime - but safety is a vanishingly small one.
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