Re: Lubin's response to Cohen - U Miners/Second Hand SmokeConfounder

[RADPROJECT@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/3/00 11:08:20 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
hamricjs@ucarb.com writes:

<< I believe I have a small contribution to make in this debate - and that is
 that the radon-miner studies most likely are seriously flawed because of
 underestimations of radon progeny levels and other factors leading to under
 reporting of exposures.  I knew some of the people who went into the mines
 to make the measurements, and their (unwritten) charge was to keep the mines
 operating.  High radon levels could shut down mines. >>
==============
Radsafers:

I have my own small confounding variable to mention regarding what may be a 
serious flaw in the radon-miner studies. Only a small fraction of the uranium 
miners were non-smokers.  Major conclusions were reached by the NAS [and 
other published studies] based on those miners who were "non-smokers" as to 
the effect of radon on lung-cancer rates.

However, I am unaware of any consideration that the "non-smoker" uranium 
miners would have had significant exposure to second-hand cigarette smoke 
from the majority of miners who were smokers. This exposure to second-hand 
smoke would likely be unavoidable in break areas and on the job and would 
likely be responsible for a goodly fraction of what lung-cancer incidence has 
been attributed solely to radon exposure, whatever its level. Eliminating 
these lung cancers in non-smokers would reduce the risk from radon to 
"non-smoking" miners which has found its way into the literature and into 
assumptions by the EPA as to how many lung-cancers are attributable to 
background or slightly elevated radon in homes.

If anyone has info on this important point, it would be much appreciated. I 
recall asking this question of  Dr. William H. Ellett, Study Director, Board 
on Radiation Effects Research, Commission on Life Sciences, of the NAS 
following a lecture he presented to a dinner meeting of the New England 
Chapter of the Health Physics Society on radon and lung cancer just after the 
NAS published its BEIR-IV report on "Health effects of Radon and other 
internally deposited alpha-emitters".  

Mr. Ellett, who had just lighted a cigarette at the time himself following 
his presentation, since it appeared he was a chain smoker, answered my 
question about non-smoking uranium miners having a not-insignificant risk due 
to second-hand cigarette smoke as follows [based on my best recollection]:

"If you think you're so smart, why don't you figure it out."

To paraphrase the Bard:
"I think the gentlement doth protest too much"

Stewart Farber
Public Health Sciences
emai: radiumproj@cs.com
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