# RKS: CARCINOGENIC MOBILE PHONE?: The Myth Shattered

 

# RKS: CARCINOGENIC MOBILE PHONE?

THE MYTH SHATTERED

RKS / 2025-2026 / Ser 8 / Blog 6

1st March 2026

THE CELL MISSILES

ALL ABOUT ITS RADIATING INTENSITY & POTENTIAL

Dear Reader,

"Cell phone" and "mobile phone" generally refer to the same portable, wireless device used for communication, with the main difference being regional terminology: "cell phone" is more common in North America, while "mobile phone" (or just "mobile") is more frequent in British English and other regions. Both connect via cellular networks. "Cell phone" is sometimes considered slightly more dated, with "phone" or "mobile" becoming more common.

All cell phones are mobile phones, but not all mobile phones are cell phones (e.g., satellite phones). Mobile phones are classified as:

1. FEATURE PHONES: These are the earlier 'dumb phones' which have old basic models with limited features.
2. SMARTPHONES: These are so-called since they possess advanced computing capabilities, typically featuring an operating system (such as iOS or Android), a touchscreen interface, internet access, and the ability to run third-party applications.

The 'smart' terminology however has earlier emerged to distinguish all mobile phones from traditional phones since these are pocket-friendly.

Mobile phones offer significant advantages through instant global communication, access to information, and enhanced productivity, but they also bring disadvantages like digital addiction, security risks and, above all, health issues. The radiation emitted from mobile phones are the glaring reason for many cell phone-related adverse effects on health. This 2-blogs series intends to highlight the radiation - associated risks with individual mobile phones.

HISTORY OF MOBILE PHONES

The first handheld mobile phone was invented by Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973. He made the first public mobile phone call on April 3, 1973, using a prototype Motorola DynaTAC device. The first commercially available, handheld cellular phone (DynaTAC 8000x) was later released in 1983. 

In India, mobile phones were introduced on July 31, 1995. Smartphones began entering the Indian market around 2004-2005.

FEATURE PHONE vs SMARTPHONE

The global mobile market is shifting rapidly toward 5G smartphones, with shipments of 5G devices in India reaching 79% in 2024, driven by falling prices and better connectivity. While feature phones are declining globally, they retain a niche market in India and Africa on account of affordability, long battery life and durability. 

Graph: Reasons for preferring feature phones.

Even though three-fourths of Indians still utilize feature phones, 75% of feature phone users are interested in switching over to smartphones.

ANDROID vs iPHONE

Android began as its own company (Android Inc.) back in 2003, and it wasn't acquired by Google until 2005. Meanwhile, Apple already had success with mobile products in the form of the iPod, the iPhone began development in secret in 2004.

iPhone delivers superior long-term value through extended software support and better resale retention. Security advantages clearly favor iPhone's closed ecosystem and consistent updates. Android excels in customization freedom and device variety across all price points. 

Android is distinguished by its freedom and flexibility, while iOS is recognized for its stability and security. Today, Android takes the lead with 72% market share, leaving iPhone behind with just 28%. In India, Android instruments dominate by enjoying a 95% share of the mobile phone market.

CLASSIFICATION

The major manufacturers of mobile phones include:

1. Feature Phones: Itel (41%), Lava (31%), HMD (19%)
2. Smartphones: Vivo (20%), Samsung (18%), Xiaomi (13%)

In 2024, in India, there were 151 million (mn) smartphones sold vs 54 mn feature phones.

HEALTH HAZARD

Mobile phones emit radiofrequency (RF) energy, a form of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation, which can be absorbed by tissues close to the phone. The amount of RF energy a mobile phone user is exposed depend on many factors:

• Technology of the phone: iPhone can emit twice the radiation as compared to Samsung's Galaxy brand (Android). 
• The distance between the mobile phone and the user: The radiation damage occurs when the mobile phone is against the ear or body i.e. 0-5 mm. Safe distance spells keeping the phone at least 12 inches away when not in active use but 20 feet distance will be ideal to maximize safety.
• The extent of mobile phone use: It has been documented that ~1,000 hours of lifetime use (approx. 17 minutes/day over 10 years) may be associated with a 60% increase in risk brain cancer. Tumor growth risk is extremely high for mobile phone users conversing for 8-10 hours per day.
• The user’s distance from mobile phone towers: It is advisable that towers for mobile phones are at a distance of 50-100 meters to avoid risking RF energy.
• The type of mobile phone: The radio wave exposure guidelines use a unit of measurement known as the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). The SAR limit for mobile devices is 1.6 W/kg and it differs from device to device.
• Wi-Fi networks - 4G/5G: There is no evidence that newer, higher-energy networks increase cancer risk.
• Signal strength: Signal strength is quantified as decibels per milliwatt (dBm):

        # -50 to -79 dBm: Excellent (4-5 bars)
        # -80 to -89 dBm: Good (3-4 bars)
        # -90 to -99 dBm: Average (2-3 bars)
        # -100 to -109 dBm: Poor (1-2 bars)
        # -110 to -120 dBm: Very Poor (0-1 bar)

          A weak signal strength (1-2 bars) makes the mobile phone work harder, increasing                    radiation output.

The next month's blog will endeavor to provide model wise details of mobile phones with respect to their RF energy emission whilst factoring SAR values.

ADVERSE EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH MOBILE PHONES

• Reproductive Health: Research indicates that carrying phones in pockets can lead to lower count, motility, and increased abnormal sperms in men.

• Cognitive and Neurological Effects: Potential effects include headaches, memory loss, and changes in brain activity.

• Children's Development: Children may be at higher risk for behavioral issues, such as ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), due to higher absorption rates of radiation.

• Other Potential Effects: Oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and changes in skin cells.

CANCER RISK

Radiation from mobile phones has been classified as a "possible human carcinogen"  by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2011. IARC classifies the carcinogenic potential of substances under various categories.

Group 1 (100+ agents): "Carcinogenic to humans". There is enough evidence to conclude that it can cause cancer in humans.

Group 2A (90+ agents): "Probably carcinogenic to humans". There is strong evidence that it can cause cancer in humans, but at present it is not conclusive.

Group 2B (300+ agents): "Possibly carcinogenic to humans". There is some evidence that it can cause cancer in humans but at present it is far from conclusive.

Group 3: "Unclassifiable as to carcinogenicity in humans". There is no evidence at present that it causes cancer in humans.

Group 4: "Probably not carcinogenic to humans". There is strong evidence that it does not cause cancer in humans.

The mobile phones potential as a carcinogen falls under 2B category as per IARC classification of agents and substances known to, or can, cause cancer.

MOBILE PHONES vs X-RAYS

RF energy and X-ray radiation are both electromagnetic waves. Photons are emitted whenever charged particles, such as electrons, accelerate or change energy states. These photons are the high-energy, massless, and chargeless packet of electromagnetic radiation. 

The electromagnetic waves differ drastically in energy, wavelength and safety. RF is low-energy, non-ionizing radiation used for communication (Wi-Fi, mobile phones) that heats tissue. X-rays, on the other hand, are high-energy, ionizing radiation capable of damaging cellular deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) since these can penetrate tissues. 

Fig: Ionizing vs non-ionizing radiation and sources.

Photons represent the quantized, discrete energy packets of electromagnetic radiation. X-ray photons possess sufficient energy to remove tightly bound inner electrons from atoms, disrupting molecular bonds. Mobile phones photons lack the energy to break such bonds because X-rays possess millions of times more energy per photon than smartphone radio waves.

CANCER MECHANISMS OF MOBILE PHONES

It is indeed interesting to understand how mobile phones could possibly induce cancerous changes.

• Unlike X-ray radiation, RF energy does not break the DNA which is the main mechanism of causing cancer. The only explanation could be heating of body tissues with RF energy produced by mobile phones is too low to induce heat-related damage.

• Low-intensity RF energy of mobile phones may cause "non-thermal" effects by increasing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Since free radicals impair the natural repair processes, cellular mutations could occur which can lead to cancerous changes.

• RF energy from mobile phones can reduce melatonin - the sleep hormone - levels. A reduction in melatonin levels can impact sleep quality and has been linked to the release of hormones that may promote the development of certain cancers.

• Membranes damaged by RF energy leads to formation of pours causing leakage of cellular contents. Besides, the non-thermal radiation might induce cells to produce "heat shock proteins," which could even destroy the DNA proteins.

The cancer risk from a single diagnostic X-ray is extremely low, generally estimated at less than 1 in 10,00,000 for low-dose procedures like chest or dental X-rays. For higher-dose, imaging like CT scans, the risk of developing a fatal cancer is estimated at about 1 in 2,000. Radiological procedures emit ionizing radiation and, in contrast the mobile phones signals are non-ionizing electromagetic waves in nature. Thus, the risk of cancer with mobile phones is yet to be documented as real.

CONCLUSION 

Mobile network generations (1G–5G) represent the evolution of wireless technology from analog voice (1980s) to high-speed, low-latency data (5G), generally updating every decade. While Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) handles local wireless networking, these cellular generations manage mobile data, with 4G/5G incorporating Wi-Fi technologies enabling faster, seamless connectivity.

• 1G (1980s): Analog voice calls, limited capacity.

• 2G (1990s): Digital voice, SMS (Short Message Service), and basic data [GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)].

• 3G (2000s): Mobile internet, email, web browsing.

• 4G (2010s): High-speed, IP (Internet Protocol)-based data, LTE (Long-Term Evolution), HD (High Definition) streaming.

• 5G (2020s): Ultra-high speed, low latency, IoT (Internet of Things) integration.

Wi-Fi is primarily used for indoor, local area networks (LAN), whereas 1G-5G provides wide area network (WAN) mobile coverage. It is, in fact, Wi-Fi and WAN components of mobile phones per se which emit RF energy. Hence, besides keeping the mobile phones minimum distance away from head when not in use, the Wi-Fi and mobile data should be switched off at night to avoid RF energy risks. Also the Wi-Fi routers' position need to be away from sleeping or working areas.

X-rays have, at minimum, millions of times more energy than RF photons. Hence, the carcinogenic possibility of mobile phones has not yet translated to any recorded evidence of cancer even in those using the same for over 13+ years! The 2B categorization as per IARC places mobile phones at equal risk of causing cancer similar to coffee or pickles!

However, although mobile phones emit RF energy in response to network signals, the quantum absorbed by body tissues depends on the technology of the instrument. The upcoming next blog will spell out the different mobile phones safety and potential for adverse events.

DR R K SANGHAVI

Prophesied Enabler

Experience & Expertise: Clinician & Healthcare Industry Adviser

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