Radon and Lung Cancer

[epirad@mchsi.com]

I would be in other comments regarding this recent publication in the HPJ.



Health Physics, Volume 84, Issue 4  

 

SMOKING AS A CONFOUNDER IN ECOLOGIC CORRELATIONS OF CANCER MORTALITY RATES 

WITH AVERAGE COUNTY RADON LEVELS 



J. S. Puskin* 



Abstract—Cohen has reported a negative correlation between lung cancer 

mortality and average radon levels by county. In this paper, the correlation 

of U.S. county mortality rates for various types of cancers during the period 

1970-1994 with Cohen's radon measurements is examined. In general, 

quantitatively similar, strongly negative correlations are found for cancers 

strongly linked to cigarette smoking, weaker negative correlations are found 

for cancers moderately increased by smoking, whereas no such correlation is 

found for cancers not linked to smoking. The results indicate that the 

negative trend previously reported for lung cancer can be largely accounted 

for by a negative correlation between smoking and radon levels across 

counties. Hence, the observed ecological correlation provides no substantial 

evidence for a protective effect of low level radon exposure. 



Key words: radon; cancer; cigarettes; health effects

 

 R. William Field, M.S., Ph.D.

Community of Science:  http://myprofile.cos.com/Fieldrw





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