'Cellphone caused my cancer'
2008-08-07 08:35
Johannesburg - A man from Witpoortjie on the West Rand, who found a cancerous growth in front of his right ear, is convinced it was caused by radiation from excessive cellphone use.
"My doctor thinks I'm crazy, but I am convinced it was my cellphone," said marketing agent Rudi van Onselen, 38.
Van Onselen contacted Beeld after reading the article "Rather use your cellphone sparingly" on Friday.
Dr Carl Albrecht, chief researcher for the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) said in the article that people should use their cellphones sparingly as scientists were not yet sure whether cellphone radiation was harmful to people, and that cellphones used more energy when used in cars.
Up to 50 calls a day
Van Onselen believes the cancerous growth developed over the period of a few years when he had to make and receive "up to 50 cellphone calls a day".
"I worked for 19 years in the South African Police Service (Saps) where I was the drug co-ordinator for Gauteng.
"I was in contact with many of the schools in Gauteng over their drug situation on a regular basis. I made and received dozens of calls daily - of which many took place on the road and in my car."
A little over a year ago, in the middle of 2007, a strange little growth started developing on Van Onselen's right cheek, right in front of his ear.
"It became bigger, sometimes causing a feeling of pins and needles on the skin and regularly started bleeding. I eventually realised that the growth bled more and caused the skin on my cheek to feel dead, when I spoke for a long time on my cellphone - especially in my car.
"I also found it strange that the growth developed precisely where the middle of my phone is positioned when I talk on my cellphone."
'Cellphone radiation caused the growth'
Earlier this year, Van Onselen visited a dermatologist who did a biopsy on the growth. "The doctor said it was a form of skin cancer and needed to be cut out.
"I was so happy to read that story in Beeld, because it made so much sense. I totally believe that cellphone radiation caused the growth," he said.
Dr Chantelle Doman, a dermatologist at Unitas Hospital in Lyttelton, Pretoria, said on Wednesday: "As far as I know, there has been no reported case of a cellphone causing skin cancer.
"I doubt whether his cellphone had anything to do with the growth."