Various Recently Published Findings on Radon
Various Published Studies on Radon
Missouri Study by the National Cancer Institute
Michael C.R. Alavana led a study of radon by the NCI of 1,721 women in
Missouri for one year. 538 of the women had lung cancer, and 1,183 did not.
All of the women were either non smokers or had stopped smoking over fifteen
years earlier. In the Journal of the National Cancer Institute
(December 21, 1994 issue), researchers report that average residential
radon concentrations were exactly the same for both groups: 1.82 pCi/L.
Alavanja did note that among lung cancer patients with known malignancy
types, half of those diagnosed with adenocarcinomas showed a slightly
higher risk of disease with increased radon exposure.footnote Science
News, Vol 147Swedish Study by the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm
Led by epidemologist Goran Pershagen, radon levels were measure in 9000
homes occupied since 1947 by 1360 victims of lung cancer and 2847
controls. Results: people exposed to between 3.8 and 10.8 pCi/L of radon
had a %30 greater chance of developing lung cancer. The risk for people
exposed to greater than 10.8 pCi/L was %80. Moreover, smokers in the
highest exposure group were 25-30 times more likely to develop lung
cancer than nonsmokers in the lowest exposure group. This risk far
exceeds the risk of simply adding the risks of radon and smoking.footnote
Science Vol263 jan28,1994
Canadian Study by the Canadian Government's Radiation Bureau of
Health
and Welfare Canada
Ernest LeTourneau led a group that measured radon
levels in 4,450 homes of 738 lung cancer victims and 738 controls in
Winnipeg,Manitoba, which had the highest radon levels of 18 major Canadian
cities surveyed. Result: average radon exposure of the cancer victims
was slightly less than the exposure of the controls.
NCI study of Sweden, China, and New Jersey, USA.
Led by Jay H. Lubin of the NCI, 966 women with lung cancer in Sweden,
China, and New Jersey were compared with 1,158 controls. A
slight (but statistically insignificant) correlation between radon and
cancer was found.Sci American Aug 94
University of Kansas School of Medicine
Twenty counties in Iowa were examined, corroborating previous evidence
that radon may hasten the onset of lung cancer in smokers but not in
non-smokers. The Kansas team reported a correlation between radon and
risk of lung cancer in counties with high rates of smoking.Sci Am Aug 94
