Do mobile phones, 4G or 5G cause cancer?

Do mobile phones cause cancer?

No. Using mobile phones does not increase the risk of cancer. And there aren't any good explanations for how mobile phones could cause cancer.

You might have heard rumours that electromagnetic radiation or electromagnetic waves from phones are dangerous. But the radiation that mobile phones or phone masts transmit and receive is very weak. It does not have enough energy to damage DNA so is highly unlikely to be able to cause cancer.

Research is continuing to make sure there aren’t any potential long-term effects on cancer risk, but none have been found so far.

Does 4G cause cancer?

No, there is no good evidence that the 4G mobile network causes cancer.

Mobile networks rely on radio waves to work. 4G networks use higher frequency waves than older mobile networks, but they still don’t have enough energy to damage DNA. That means that they can’t cause cancer in this way. 

As 4G technology is still relatively new, research in this field is ongoing in case of any long-term effects.

Does 5G cause cancer?

No there is no good evidence that the 5G mobile network increases cancer risk.

5G networks use higher frequency waves than 4G or older mobile networks, but they still don’t have enough energy to damage DNA to cause cancer.  

And similar to 4G, 5G technology is still relatively new. We continue to monitor research in this field in case of any long-term effects.

Does keeping my phone in my bra increase my risk of breast cancer?

No. Keeping your mobile phone close to your body, including in a pocket or your bra, does not increase the risk of breast cancer.

But there are proven ways to reduce breast cancer risk, including keeping a healthy weight and cutting down on alcohol.

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