Dear Droll One:
Yes, I admit it, it is therapeutic to take my mind off surgery, etc.
Yes, we all have to die of something someday and there are tons of risks in life...but, that doens't mean science can't give us guidance in terms of risks, etc. For example, smokers who continue to smoke know full well that they are significantly increasing their risk of lung cancer, emphysema, etc. That is a choice--with information--and a risk they are apparently ready to take. With respect to cell phones, the data is slowly pouring in. At some point, there will be enough long-term data to know, with reasonable certainty, whether an increased association with certain tumors exists. Prior members have stated that they want "proof of causation" before they will make up their mind. That will likely never occur as it hasn't even occurred for smoking and lung cancer--only a strong association and an increased risk of disease.
I confess that there are many variables at play here. Many patients with tumors would like there to be hard proof of cell phones and cancer. The industry, for obvious financial reasons, wouldn't want to hear that their main product causes tumors. The federal goverment approved cell phones without long term data available and would also, therefore, be partially responsible for any consequences. So, the biases are incredible and need to be taken into account. As you know, as a patient with an Acoustic Neuroma, I myself, am not completely without bias, either.
But with 3 billion cell phones in use in the world today and more children than ever using cell phones, this question deserves a well researched, honest answer about cell phone use and it's potential association with the 3 most likely tumors--Glioma, AN and Parotid gland tumors.
In terms of the economy---I'll leave that one up to the bright accountants in this world!
Dufreyne--the sleepy one
