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While x-rays are used significantly in medicine, prolonged exposure to X-rays can lead to cell damage and cancer.
For example, a mammogram is an x-ray of the human breast to detect breast cancer, but if a woman starts having regular mammograms when she is too young, her chances of getting breast cancer increases.
Due to the high energy of gamma-rays, they are able to cause serious damage when absorbed by living cells.
Gamma-rays are not stopped by the skin and can induce DNA alteration by interfering with the genetic material of the cell. DNA double-strand breaks are generally accepted to be the most biologically significant lesion by which ionising radiation causes cancer and hereditary disease.
A study done on Russian nuclear workers exposed to external whole-body gamma-radiation at high cumulative doses shows a link between radiation exposure and death from leukaemia, lung, liver, skeletal and other solid cancers.
Cellphone radiation and health concerns have been raised, especially following the enormous increase in the use of wireless mobile telephony throughout the world. This is because mobile phones use electromagnetic waves in the microwave range. These concerns have induced a large body of research. Concerns about effects on health have also been raised regarding other digital wireless systems, such as data communication networks. In 2009 the World Health Organisation announced that they have found a link between brain cancer and cellphones.
Cellphone users are recommended to minimise radiation, by for example:
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