Brief Background of the study Recruitment of brain tumor patients and matched controls has begun in Israel in August 2010. Cases are identified from all 7 neurosurgery departments across the country whereas controls are identified from 11 hospitals, in order to have representative geographical coverage. Until now, 110 eligible brain tumour cases and 292 eligible controls were identified in Israel and 237 participants (84 cases and 153 controls) have been interviewed    Funding sources The European Union (EU)

Collaborating hospitals

• How did your center become involved in MOBI-Kids?

The Israeli center was, and still is, an active partner in the international investigation of the possible health effects of mobile phone use,  beginning with a pilot study performed in 1998 and followed by the Interphone study (2000-2007). Therefore, it was only natural for us to participate in the Mobi-Kids study. 

• Are you involved with more than fieldwork?

The Israeli center is responsible for Work Package 2 which has an important role in the finalization of the study instruments including the study protocols, questionnaires and procedures for implementing the study. 

• What are your research interests (beyond MOBI-Kids)?

The Cancer & Radiation Epidemiology Unit is investigating health effects of both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. One of our main studies is a long term follow-up of health effects of childhood exposure to ionizing radiation (the Israeli Tinea Capitis [TC] study). This research is based on a large cohort of 29,475 individuals who were  exposed to radiation in the 1950s, for the treatment of Tinea Capitis (ringworm) and evaluates risk of developing cancer and other health outcomes among irradiated subjects. These studies also explore the hypothesis of genetic susceptibly to radiation aiming to identify genes involved in the formation of radiation induced tumors. The results of the Israeli TC studies have been implemented in legislation and in the formulation of the appropriate medical guidelines for irradiated subjects.

In the field of brain tumors, the unit is involved in several studies among which are 2 international  studies, administrated in Baylor college of medicine (BMC), Huston Texas, USA, focusing on the investigation of the  genetic background of familial and sporadic glioma (Gliogene and GICC studies): The Gliogene website: www.gliogene.org 

• Do you have any recent publications/links/resources to share that you think are relevant and important (either at the international or national level)?

1. A paper, led by our center, entitled: "The MOBI-Kids Study Protocol: Challenges in Assessing Childhood and Adolescent Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields from Wireless Telecommunication Technologies and Possible Association with Brain Tumor Risk"  was recently accepted for publication in the journal "Frontiers in Public Health". The manuscript describes the considerations needed to cope with the challenges of investigating the possible association between mobile phone use and the development of brain tumors among children, adolescents and young adults.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25295243
2. Another paper publishes by prof. Sadetzki and Prof. Cardis in 2011 entitled: "Indications of possible brain-tumor risk in mobile-phone studies: should we be concerned?" (Occup Environ Med. 2011 Mar;68(3):169-71), discusses the main issues in the interpretation of the findings reported in published studies of brain tumors in relation to mobile-phone use, particularly the largest of these, Interphone, and their potential public-health implications. The authors concluded that while more studies are needed to confirm or refute these results, indications of an increased risk in high- and long-term users from Interphone and other studies are of concern. Since more than 4 billion people, including children, using mobile phones even a small risk at the individual level could eventually result in a considerable number of tumors and become an important public-health issue. The authors suggested that until definitive scientific answers are available, simple and low-cost measures, such as the use of text messages, hands-free kits and/or the loud-speaker mode of the phone should be used to reduce exposure to the brain from mobile phones. 

• Are you involved in other studies on EMF? Or other environmental exposures and risk of brain tumours?

Technological advances in telecommunications, have led to increasing exposure to non-ionizing radiation (NIR), raising concern regarding its potential health effects. Consequently, the Israeli government resolved to establish a National Information Center on NIR.

Established in 2013, The TNUDA Center, led by Prof. Siegal Sadetzki, provides comprehensive information to various target audiences (the general public, the government, researchers and commercial enterprises). This knowledge allows making informed decisions, policy and legislation based on scientific facts. 

The Center is guided by the precautionary principle and promotes educated use of technologies involving NIR, while maintaining a balance between rapid technological advances and protection of public health.