Replies to post #207781 on NorthWest Biotherapeutics Inc (NWBO)

[CogDiss 1188X]

Came across an article of general interest as a result of a hypothesis I had while checking a few things, mostly related to cancer mortality statistics and what they might say about the level of success we are having in “The War on Cancer” (horribly misleading metaphor from a patient perspective and how it affects treatment choices but that’s another topic).

I wondered if brain cancer incidence had actually been increasing because of cell phone use while the overall trend in mortality in all cancers the last 20 - 25 years or so had declined. (Incidence and mortality are influenced by different things but there was more stuff floating around in my head that made this thought relevant.) In England it has, at least for glioma:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/05/02/mobile-phone-cancer-warning-malignant-brain-tumours-double/

They analysed 79,241 malignant brain tumours over 21 years, finding that cases of GBM in England have increased from around 1,250 a year in 1995 to just under 3,000.

That’s a pretty astounding rise and it overlaps cell phone use pretty well. Association is not causation but there are other reasons to believe this might be the case. Unfortunately, that is going to be left to the readers as a exercise.

Professor Denis Henshaw said: “Our findings illustrate the need to look more carefully at, and to try and explain the mechanisms behind, these cancer trends, instead of brushing the causal factors under the carpet and focusing only on cures.”

Interesting approach Professor. I’m guessing this guy’s tweed jackets are slightly threadbare.

The reporter ends by citing the results of a study made obsolete on the question of GBM and cell phone use by the very study he/she is writing about— because balanced reporting.

In 2015 the European Commission Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks concluded that, overall, the epidemiologic studies on cell phone radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation exposure do not show an increased risk of brain tumors or of other cancers of the head and neck region.

Geez, it used to be that the last paragraph would to point the curious reader toward the more interesting information in the article.

What to do until the answer is finally revealed 20 years later? Favor shorter calls when you can and switch the side you’re holding the phone on every so often — I switch sides every five minutes or so.

I wonder if amazon sells Faraday cage hats. ;-)