Comments on the National Toxicology Program Report on Cancer, Rats and Cell Phone Radiation

TL;DR

This paper critiques the NTP report on cell phone radiation and cancer, highlighting gender differences in cancer rates and lifespan effects in rats, and questioning the relevance to humans.

Contribution

It offers an alternative interpretation of the NTP data, emphasizing gender differences and potential biological mechanisms affecting cancer and lifespan.

Findings

Linear relationship between radiation absorption and certain cancers in male rats

Gender differences in cancer rates and lifespan effects observed

No expected lifespan increase in human cell phone users

Abstract

With the National Toxicology Program issuing its final report on cancer, rats and cell phone radiation, one can draw the following conclusions from their data. There is a roughly linear relationship between gliomas (brain cancers) and schwannomas (cancers of the nerve sheaths around the heart) with increased absorption of 900 MHz radiofrequency radiation for male rats. The rate of these cancers in female rats is about one third the rate in male rats; the rate of gliomas in female humans is about two thirds the rate in male humans. Both of these observations can be explained by a decrease in sensitivity to chemical carcinogenesis in both female rats and female humans. The increase in male rat life spans with increased radiofrequency absorption is due to a reduction in kidney failure from a decrease in food intake. No such similar increase in the life span of humans who use cell phones is expected.