Israeli study shows decrease in rare cancer despite mobile phone use

An Israeli study found that while the use of mobile phones as risen, the number of people suffering from glioma, a rare kind of brain cancer has decreased.

"Despite the use of mobile phones the number of growths decreased by half," Doctor Micha Barhana of the Haifa University public health department in charge of registering cancer at the country's Health Ministry. "Cancer of the kind called glioma is suspected of being directly linked to the use of mobile phones. Despite this the number of sufferers in Israel since 1994 has decreased drastically."

Between the years of 1990-1994 an average of three new cases of glioma cancer was discovered for every 100,000 people. Up until 2005 cases were on the decrease and between 2005 to 2009 the average dropped to 1.5 for every 100,000.

Barhana presented his findings during a special day devoted to discussing the link between mobile phone us and cancer at Tel Aviv University.