Effects of a cell phone radiofrequency (860 MHz) on the latency of brain tumors in rats

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if an 860-MHz pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) shortened the latency of ethylnitrosourea (ENU)-induced brain tumors in rats. A total of 1080 Sprague–Dawley rats born of mothers given 6.3 or 10.0 mg/kg ENU intravenously on day 15 of gestation was randomized by ENU dose group into 18 groups of 60 rats (30 males and 30 females). Six groups were exposed to the PRF, 6 groups were sham exposed and 6 were cage controls. The PRF was delivered 6 h per day, 5 days per week beginning at 52±3 days of age. The specific absorption rate was 1±0.2 W/kg average to the brain. An equal number of rats from each exposure group was randomly selected for euthanasia and necropsy every 30 days from 828 rats between 172 and 322 days of age. A total of 252 rats were sacrificed because of the development of nervous disorders or they died spontaneously. There was no statistically significant difference between the incidence rates of brain tumors among PRF, sham or cage control groups in either the serial sacrifice or morbid groups. These results revealed no evidence that the PRF affects the incidence rate (or latency) of ENU-induced brain tumors in rats.