Mobile Phone Usage and the Risk of Brain Tumors

Purpose: This literature review investigated the possible association between the use of mobile phones and brain tumors. Methods: In brief, 11 publications were retrieved from JSTOR, PubMed, Google Scholar and Summon in order to compare the association between the usage of mobile phones in patients with a brain tumor and those without. Papers published in English, and after 2001 were selected for. There was no limit on age, gender, geographical location and type of brain tumor. Results: For regular mobile phone usage, the combined odds ratios (OR) (95% confidence intervals) for three studies are: 1.5 (1.2 - 1.8), 1.3 (0.95 - 1.9), and 1.1 (0.8 - 1.4), respectively. Furthermore, the odds ratio did not increase, regardless of mobile phone use duration. Additionally, Lonn et al. (2005) observed that the risk also did not significantly increase when assessing the laterality (ipsilateral or contralateral) of the tumor in relation to side of head used for the mobile phone. Kan et al. (2007) observed an OR of 1.22 when comparing analog phone to digital phone use. Conclusion: This review concludes that there is no current association between mobile phone use and the development of brain tumors. Although certain studies speak in favor of an increased risk, many are plagued with either: sampling bias, misclassification bias, or issues concerning risk estimates. Further research needs to be done in order to evaluate the long-term effect of mobile phone usage on the risk of developing a brain tumor.

Ampullary Neuroendocrine Tumor: A Rare Cause of Recurrent Abdominal Pain

Ampullary Neuroendocrine tumor (ANET) is a rare GI malignancy, representing less than 1% of GI neuroendocrine tumors and less than 2% of ampullary tumors. Traditional treatment is often a pancreaticoduodenectomy;however, local and endoscopic resections have been successful. We report a rare case of ANET in a 21-year-old Burmese man who presented with a 6-year history of non-specific intermittent abdominal pain who was successfully managed through transduodenal ampullectomy. At 24 months postoperatively he remains disease and symptom free. ANET is a rare cause of recurrent abdominal pain, and local excision of small ANETs can be an alternative, less morbid treatment for young patients. We follow the case with a brief review of the literature.

Pedunculated colonic lipoma prolapsing through the anus

Colorectal lipomas are the second most common benign tumors of the colon. These masses are typically incidental findings with over 94% being asymptomatic. Symptoms-classically abdominal pain, bleeding per rectum and alterations in bowel habits-may arise when lipomas become larger than 2 cm in size. Colonic lipomas are most often noted incidentally by colonoscopy. They may also be identified by abdominal imaging such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. We report a case of a sixty-one years old male who presented to our emergency room with a 6.7 cm × 6.3 cm soft tissue mucosal mass protruding transanally. The patient was stable with a benign abdominal examination. The mass was initially thought to be a rectal prolapse; however, a limited digital rectal exam was able to identify this as distinct from the anal canal. Since the mass was irreducible, it was elected to be resected under anesthesia. At surgery, manipulation of the mass identified that the lesion was pedunculated with a long and thickened stalk. A laparoscopic linear cutting stapler was used to resect the mass at its stalk. Pathology showed a polypoid submucosal lipoma of the colon with overlying ulceration and necrosis. We report this case to highlight this rare but possible presentation of colonic lipomas; an incarcerated, trans-anal mass with features suggesting rectal prolapse. Trans-anal resection is simple and effective treatment.

The Association between Cellular Phone Usage and Brain Neoplasms

Background: The association between cellular phones and brain tumors is a question that is frequently asked of the medical and scientific community. The prevalence of cell phone use and the significant morbidity and mortality of brain tumors contribute to this pairing. Cell phones are known to emit radio frequency energy in the form of both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is known to be within X-rays, which do have an association with cancer. Objective: To assess if the use of the cell phone has an association with brain tumors. Methods: The searches performed through PubMed were conducted to find studies that sought to provide evidence as to whether or not increased cell phone exposure contributed to the development of brain tumors. Also searched for was increased regional metabolism of the brain with the use of the cell phone switched in the on position. Studies were restricted to being published during or after the year 2000 and presented in the English language. Results: The studies largely support the conclusion that cell phone usage does not lead to the development of brain cancer. Studies employed different strategies, such as the prospective cohort and case-control studies to reach this conclusion. Both studies failed to show statistically significant evidence that cell phones were associated with brain tumors of the central nervous system. Conclusions: Questions raised by crossover studies demonstrating increased regional brain glucose metabolism continue to remain largely unanswered by current research and remain a starting point for future research. The prevalence of the issue strengthens its position among others as a matter that the medical community must continue to address to meet the needs of an increasingly exposed patient population. The overall hypothesis that cell phone usage does not lead to the development of brain tumors was supported.