Q. For convenience I keep my cell phone on vibrate in my bra. I have heard you shouldn’t keep your cell phone close to your ear for long periods. Does the same hold true for your bra?
I know it sounds odd, but it’s also a good way to hide your phone while running errands. My sister had breast cancer, so it runs in the family. Am I being exposed to radiation even if I am not talking?
A. The effect of radiofrequency (RF) radiation on the body remains controversial. Studies are equivocal whether there is an increased risk of cancer.
Even when you are not talking, a cell phone periodically emits RF to connect with a cell tower or network. Whether this low-level electromagnetic radiation poses a risk to the breast has not been well studied (Annual Review of Public Health, 2005).
You may be interested in listening to our interview with Devra Davis, PhD, MPH. She is very concerned about this issue and presents a case series of young women who developed breast tumors right where they kept their cell phones.
