STOCKHOLM, Aug 23: Long-term users of some first generation mobile phones face an up to 80 percent greater risk of developing brain tumours than those who did not use the phones, a new Swedish study shows.

The study, published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, looked at 1,617 Swedish patients diagnosed with brain tumours between 1997 and 2000, comparing them with a similar control group without brain tumours.

Researchers found that those who had used Nordic Mobile Telephone, or NMT, handsets had a 30 percent higher risk of developing brain tumours than people who had not used that type of mobile, particularly on the side of the brain used during calls. For people using the phones for more than 10 years the risk was 80 percent greater.

“Our present study showed an increased risk for brain tumours among users of analogue cellular telephones. For digital cellular phones and cordless phones the results showed no increased risk overall within a five-year latency period,” the study said.

Two major mobile phone manufacturers, however, disputed the findings of an increased risk of cancer.

The world’s biggest mobile producer, Finland’s Nokia Oyj, which still produces two models of phones working in the NMT standard, said scores of other studies conducted on the health effects of mobile phones showed no evidence of health hazards for users.

“There have been close to 200 studies done on different areas of mobile phones and in the light of those and the way the scientific evidence is, there is no health risk in using mobile phones,” Marianne Holmlund, communications manager at Nokia Phones, said on Thursday.

—Reuters