Radon 'Causes 9% of Lung Cancer Deaths'

["Jim Hoerner" <jim_hoerner@HOTMAIL.COM>]

'Causes 9% of Lung Cancer Deaths'



By Lyndsay Moss, PA Health Correspondent



Almost one in 10 lung cancer deaths is caused by a natural radioactive gas 

seeping into homes, researchers said today.



Smokers were found to be most at risk from radon, which escapes through the 

Earth’s surface and can build up in indoor areas.



An analysis by researchers has now revealed that radon is responsible for as 

many as 20,000 deaths from lung cancer in Europe each year.



Writing on bmj.com, they calculated that the gas caused 9% of European lung 

cancer deaths and 2% of all cancer deaths.



The team, made up of researchers across Europe, said radon in homes posed 

“substantial hazards” – even at levels below those set by many countries 

stating when action is deemed necessary.



The UK’s National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has estimated that 

around 100,000 properties in Britain are significantly affected by radon.



Earlier this year the NRPB reported concentrations of radon up to 85 times 

higher than recognised safety limits in two homes in Cornwall.



Most of the radon breathed in is exhaled immediately, but some of the 

radioactive particles can attach themselves to the lungs, exposing them to 

damaging levels of radiation.



Exposure to high levels of radon over extended periods leads to an increased 

risk of lung cancer.



Estimates suggest that around 2,500 cases of lung cancer are caused by 

indoor radon each year in the UK.



The latest study, the largest of its kind ever conducted, analysed 7,148 

cases of lung cancer and a control group of 14,208 people without the 

disease across nine European countries.



Radon levels in the homes of the subjects were taken into account, along 

with smoking histories and the impact of second-hand smoke.



They found that the risk of radon-induced lung cancer increased 

proportionally to how much of the gas people were exposed to.



They concluded that the risk of lung cancer rose by 8.4% per 100 becquerels 

of radon per cubic metre of air (Bq/m3) increase in radon concentration.



In the UK the NRPB has set an “action level” of 200 becquerels where 

remedial measures should take place.



The average radon level in British homes is 20 Bq/m3.



The researchers said: “We have shown that residential radon produces 

substantial hazards, particularly among smokers, even at concentrations 

below the action levels currently recommended in many countries of a few 

hundred Bq/m3.”



They said that average levels of radon in homes in most countries varied 

widely, with levels in the majority of houses well below the national 

average while some were several times higher.



Radon levels also tend to be higher in rural areas compared with urban 

areas.



“High radon concentrations can be reduced in existing homes at moderate 

cost, and low concentrations can usually be achieved at reasonable or low 

cost when new buildings are constructed,” the team concluded.



In a commentary, also published on bmj.com, Geoff Watts, science editor of 

the British Medical Journal, said the study was “a reminder that this is a 

hazard to be taken seriously”.



He said the course of action to deal with radon would depend on the 

construction of the building and the level of the gas dispersed.



“At the lower end of the scale, improving ventilation and sealing cracks in 

concrete floors may do the trick.



“With suspended timber floors the aim is to increase the flow of air beneath 

them – either passively through air bricks or by installing a fan.



“In houses with a concrete floor and higher radon levels it may be necessary 

to dig a sump – a small cavity beneath the floor – from which air is 

extracted, so removing any troublesome gas that might otherwise find its way 

into houses,” Mr Watts said.



He added that there was little evidence that action was being taken in the 

UK to tackle the radon problem in homes above recommended safety levels.



Installations designed to protect homes from radon usually cost between £500 

and £1,500.



http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3913319



--

Hold the door for the stranger behind you. When the driver in the adjacent 

lane signals to get over, slow down. Smile and say "hi" to the folks you 

pass on the sidewalk. Give blood. Volunteer.





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