Re: Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study

["Otto G. Raabe" <ograabe@ucdavis.edu>]

May 28, 2000
Davis, CA

Dear Bill:

Your new radon study is obviously important. I read the short summary on
the web site. I have a few questions.

(1) "Adjusted for smoking" does not seem to be equivalent to "controlled
for smoking". Since almost all lung cancer is caused by exposure to tobacco
smoke, matched controls should have as close as possible similar smoking
and environmental tobacco smoke histories in order to be able to detect the
potential impact of radon exposure if any. Otherwise, cross-level
confounding can effect the results. Was there a pairing of each lung cancer
case with a non-cancer control who had a very similar lifetime tobacco
smoke exposure history? What was the result of this comparison?

(2) I was surprised to learn from your short summary that Iowa has the
highest radon levels in homes of any State. Denver residents are exposed to
over four times the national average. What is the average annual dose to
the respiratory bronchial epithelium for persons in your study?

Thanks...

Otto




	*****************************************************
	Prof. Otto G. Raabe, Ph.D., CHP
	Institute of Toxicology & Environmental Health (ITEH)
	(Street Address: Bldg. 3792, Old Davis Road)
	University of California, Davis, CA 95616
	E-Mail: ograabe@ucdavis.edu
	Phone:(530) 752-7754, FAX:(530) 758-6140
	*****************************************************
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