Does carrying a mobile phone in your trouser pocket increase the likelihood of getting testicular cancer?

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Serious question, and one prompted by talking to a friend who, mercifully, has just got the all-clear after a bad couple of months. But his doctors had apparently mentioned it as a possible cause and, well, its pretty scary considering its not something I'd even thought of.

Is there any scientific evidence to prove/refute this as yet?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:03 (twenty years ago)

that's the most silly thing i've heard for years.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:07 (twenty years ago)

well, today.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:07 (twenty years ago)

i keep mine in my coat pocket which means it's not too close to my body

would keeping it in your ass increase the chances of colon cancer?

― Alienus Quam Reproba (blueski), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:09 (twenty years ago)

wrapping the phone in aluminium foil would probably decrease the chance of testicular cancer, unfortunately it may carry the side effect of rendering your testicles unnecessary.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

Might increase your chance of getting laid if you push it far enough into the centre....not

(Is it too soon to drag out 'not' yet?)

― kate/papa november (papa november), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:16 (twenty years ago)

"is that testicluar cancer inducer in your pocket or have you got an erection?"

― Alienus Quam Reproba (blueski), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:17 (twenty years ago)

Nothing like a cancerous tumor to turn the laydeez on.

― kate/papa november (papa november), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:19 (twenty years ago)

I worry about this, actually. I've stopped keeping mine in my coat pocket because of the possible effects on the heart.

Then again, I don't really like using a microwave. And fridges are slightly threatening, in a silent, white yet dangerous way.

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:20 (twenty years ago)

i have heard this before but doubt this is true. thom won't have a problem as he ALWAYS forgets his cellphone (esp when i ring him up). hahahahah gawd, it used to ANGER me but now i shrug it off.

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000577024348/

Remember when the same thing was said of microwaves?

― stevie nixed (stevie nixed), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:21 (twenty years ago)

I mean causing cancer, not really testi.cancer.

― stevie nixed (stevie nixed), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:22 (twenty years ago)

Not unless you're teabaggin' the micro ...

All the health claims about cellphones seem like bullshit to me...

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

Remember when the same thing was said of microwaves?

Microwaves still aren't great, though. They break down the proteins and vitamins in food far more than conventional cooking. If you want to get the full nutritional benefit of what you're eating, a microwave is a bad idea.

And I'm still dubious about the radiation, to be honest. Everyone I speak to thinks this is me being a crank, but even so..

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

http://www.cancercouncil.com.au/editorial.asp?pageid=1423
http://www.cost281.org/download.php?fid=618

A retrospective cohort study from Denmark (Johansen et al. 2001) based on a large study population representative for the Danish population showed a decreased risk of mobile phone users for those cancer types which are known to be associated with life stile factors (lung cancer, oesophagus cancer or stomach cancer). Stomach cancer and lung cancer rates were decreased, for brain tumours and leukaemia no effect was seen and the slightly increased rates for testicular cancer and breast cancer should to be interpreted with caution, for in Denmark these cancer types are strongly associated with a higher socio-economic status, which probably might influence the result.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:34 (twenty years ago)

if they could spell 'style' correctly i might have greater faith in their findings.

― NRQ, Friday, 18 February 2005 13:35 (twenty years ago)

I don't think English is their native language.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:37 (twenty years ago)

First testicular bravery, now this!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:43 (twenty years ago)

Keep it in yr bag and live free of fear (I used to get paranoid about keeping it in my coatpocket too)

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:44 (twenty years ago)

er. i think actually keeping it in your bag would actually kind of aggravate your situation.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:48 (twenty years ago)

or is this some kind of eye of the storm thing?

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

Good lord, I didn't mean that bag, I don't keep anything else there! Why would I make such a baffling exception for a potentially cancercausing device? You shouldn't leap to such conclusions!

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

I would love to see the two of you in the same room together.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

Oh wait I keep my nuts there, that's not a matter of choice tho, I just think they'd look stupid anywhere else.

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Friday, 18 February 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

Ned what would you like to see us DO?

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:01 (twenty years ago)

This was actually a genuine question not an assumption, but it seemed reasonably credible given a) the amount of radiation given off by a phone, b) its proximity to your manbits on a daily basis, and c) the lack of knowledge of the long-term effects of said radiation.

Mercifully, Dr Chu of the Vegas Institute has now assuaded these fears. What a silly idea.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

luckily I keep mine in my coat pocket so it'll only effect insignificant organs like my heart

my dad has reams of reports to prove that mobile phones are a-okay. but then again, he works for the phone company...

― fcussen (Burger), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

This thread has given me the FEAR and then the GIGGLES.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

Tobacco companies are still producing reports that suggest smoking isn't dangerous. I suspect that if mobile phones are ever superceded by another consumer product, some of these fears will transpire to be correct. Until then, nothing will be "proved" because there are too many people making lots of money from these products and nobody can argue with that, can they?

Wasn't there a report some time ago that said using them for long periods of time could cause tumours? That was pretty much ignored.

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:35 (twenty years ago)

Shouldn't cordless phones cause similar issues?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:36 (twenty years ago)

Isn't the method of transmission different, though?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:36 (twenty years ago)

xpost

yes

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

DON'T TRY TO FOOL ME WITH YOUR SO-CALLED "SCIENCE"

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

When I clicked on this I thought it was a calum thread.

Health risks linking mobile phones and cancers have been widely debated, on TV, in the newspapers, results have pretty much been inconclusive. With (mostly somewhat vague) claims coming from both sides.

To be fair most of the coverage are about brain tumours, but unless there is some kind of special organic structures of the testicles that makes it particularly suspeptible to radiation I would imagine the risks are equally inconclusive and something that I wouldn't have thought a doctor would have come up with as an advice to a patient.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:41 (twenty years ago)

Dan why do you carry cordless phones around your house near your testicles?

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

He just likes having things around there

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

Shouldn't cordless phones cause similar issues?

Yes - they do. I often feel my head buzzing when I've stopped using mine. This cannot be a good thing.

I wish I could say something funny like ken.

― hobart paving (hobart paving), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

To be fair, it may be total conjecture on the doctor's part but "you have just had testicular cancer, be careful about carrying radiation-emitting devices right next to your one remaining knacker" seems like sensible advice nonetheless.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

Tell me about it, I was absolutely shafted.

― Luke Skywalker (Matt DC), Friday, 18 February 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

brain damage causes cellphones

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 18 February 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

Wrap balls in protective shield.

Keep talking.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 18 February 2005 15:56 (twenty years ago)

Thursday, 01 July 1999
Daily Record · www.dailyrecord.co.uk
COULD MOBILE HAVE GIVEN STUBBS CANCER?
Medical experts are investigating the theory that Celtic football star Alan Stubbs developed testicular cancer because he carried a mobile phone in his trouser pocket.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:10 (twenty years ago)

Would this protective shield come from the cellphone company or the jockstrap company? Perhaps a merger between the two?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:13 (twenty years ago)

You pick them up from those accessory shops that sell furry pink Nokia covers.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

Is there a chrome-plated version????

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

"Make your bozack BLING! (also shields against testicular cancer caused by cellphones)"

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:19 (twenty years ago)

http://www.draytonsunderwear.com/images/187IJRingside%20Metal%20Kickboxing%20Cup.gif

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:25 (twenty years ago)

I'm more worried that I sit in front of a big old CRT monitor with an ELECTRON GUN in it. Having something called an electron gun firing at your face and torso all day can't be great.

― mike h. (mike h.), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:31 (twenty years ago)

it seems if you frot against the grain it'll all work out, mike.

― stevie nixed (stevie nixed), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:34 (twenty years ago)

list of food thats being withdrawn due to "cancer causing" ingredients.
its the UKs newest food scare - hooray!

― zappi (joni), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:36 (twenty years ago)

The message seems to be not to buy any food with the word "Cumberland" in it.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

Or "Cancer Flakes".

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 18 February 2005 16:57 (twenty years ago)

seven years pass...

gotta be scanned in the next few weeks, pretty fucking worried even though i know there are probably lots of non-serious causes of a lump on your bollock.

― Heterocyclic ring ring (LocalGarda), Wednesday, 12 December 2012 15:15 (twelve years ago)

:-\ eech, that sucks. i had a similar thing quite a few years back and i was naturally very worried (to the point of nausea) but it turned out to be nothing really in the end, so relax and wait till you get checked out.

― besides Sunny Real Estate (dog latin), Wednesday, 12 December 2012 15:20 (twelve years ago)

yeah obv that's the best course of action. it's hard though, especially as i've had a lot of probs with chronic illness, you start making wild conclusions. gotta carry this through christmas now probably as i wait for the test.

― Heterocyclic ring ring (LocalGarda), Wednesday, 12 December 2012 15:23 (twelve years ago)

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