A long-running US study on the effects of radio wave radiation, the sortÂ emitted by mobile phones, has found âclear evidenceâ of high levels of exposure and heart cancers in male rats.

Some evidence of links to brain and adrenal gland tumours was also found in male rats, but in female rodents and male mice signs of cancer werenât clear, the National Toxicology Programme (NTP) concluded in its final report on Thursday.

The programme is run by the US Department ofÂ Health and Human ServicesÂ and was tasked with reviewing the toxicity of mobile phone radiation in response to the devicesâ near ubiquity in modern life.

Radiation exposure in the trial was well above the levels most humans would experience, but researchers said the findings show theÂ link between radio frequencies and tumours â at least for rats â Â âis realâ.

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âThe exposures used in the studies cannot be compared directly to the exposure that humans experience when using a cell phone,â said Dr John Bucher, a senior scientist at the NTP.

âIn our studies, rats and mice received radio frequency radiation across their whole bodies. By contrast, people are mostly exposed in specific local tissues close to where they hold the phone.

âIn addition, the exposure levels and durations in our studies were greater than what people experience.â

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But he added: âWe believe that the link between radio frequency radiation and tumours in male rats is real, and the external experts agreed.â

The studies tookÂ a decade to complete andÂ cost more than $30mÂ (ÂŁ23m) to run. The animalsâ tissues were combed over for signs of tumours after experiencing nine hours a day of radiation for most of their natural lives, beginning in the womb in the case of the rats.

Read more

This is the most controlled study on exposure to date, andÂ itÂ raises many questions about the conclusions for humans â particularly as the lowest exposure levels were at the maximum levels allowed for mobile phones.

The group foundÂ male rats had a higher incidence of heart tumours, compared to the control rats not exposed to radiation, but radiated male rats also lived longer â apparently due to fewer kidney problems.

In female rats and both sets of mice, the evidence of any cancers formed was described as âequivocalâ, meaning there were measurable increases in molecules sometimes linked to cancerÂ but no actual evidence.

The study also focussed on 2G and 3G wireless signals, the most widely used types when the study began, but the researchers say their findings are still relevant today as most mobile phones still use these bands alongside wifiÂ and 4G.