Re: Radon Question/Radon Section HPS

[tmohaupt@wright.edu]

Bill,

Thank-you for addressing some of the questions many of us have.  I'm 
sure there's plenty of middle ground on which we can tread.  
You say that 80% of the lung cancers in Iowa were in smokers.  That's 
on the lower range of numbers I've seen.  Some reports use 85% and 
90%.  Do you know if anyone has defined an average with range?  I'm 
curious how wide the uncertainty is.  Many years ago I practiced 
respiratory therapy.  Almost all of my patients were smokers or 
x-smokers.  How good is your smoking data?  Some people are not 
completely truthful in surveys.  They give an answer they think the 
surveyor wants to hear or puts them in the most favorable light.  

The Oxford Study on Childhood Cancer has shown that children with 
serious infections (e.g., pneumonia) or other health problems (e.g., 
mongolism) have much higher incidences of cancer than the control 
groups.  Infectious diseases, such as pneumonia, and chonic 
respiratory problems, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis from 
occupational or hobby dusts and fumes, etc. may be important risk 
factors for lung cancers, particularly in non-smokers.  Has the Iowa 
study looked at these types of causative factors?  

Thanks,
Tom
PS.  I too am guilty of not joining the radon section.  
Unfortunately, I've already sent in the annual paperwork.  I will 
amend that error the next opportunity I get. 


Tom Mohaupt, MS, CHP
Wright State University
Radiation Safety Officer

Voice:  (937) 775-2169
Fax:  (937) 775-3301
E-mail:  tmohaupt@wright.edu
Address:  104 Health Sciences Bldg, Wright State University
          Dayton, OH 45435
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