Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields have no effect on the in vivo proliferation of the 9L brain tumor

Higashikubo R, Culbreth VO, Spitz DR, LaRegina MC, Pickard WF, Straube WL, Moros EG, Roti Roti JL,

Radiat Res 152(6):665-671, 1999

The intracranial 9L tumor model was used to determine if exposure to a radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic field similar to those used in cellular telephone has any effects on the growth of a central nervous system tumor.

Fischer 344 rats implanted with different numbers of 9L gliosarcoma cells were exposed to 835.62 MHz frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) or 847.74 MHz code division multiple access (CDMA) RF field with nominal slot-average specific absorption rates in the brain of 0.75 +/- 0.25 W/kg.

The animals were exposed to the RF field for 4 h a day, 5 days a week starting 4 weeks prior to and up to 150 days after the implantation of tumor cells. Among sham-exposed animals injected with 2 to 10 viable cells (group 1), the median survival was 70 days, with 27% of the animals surviving at 150 days. The median survival length and final survival fraction for animals injected with 11 to 36 viable cells (group 2) were 52 days and 14%, respectively, while the values for those injected with 37 to 100 cells (group 3) were 45 days and 0%.

The animals exposed to CDMA or FMCW had similar survival parameters, and the statistical comparison of the survival curves for each of the groups 1, 2 and 3 showed no significant differences compared to sham-exposed controls.