Potential lung cancer risk from indoor radon exposure

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · CA - Cancer Journal for Clinicians; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3322/canjclin.40.5.265· OSTI ID:6419437

Harley, N H; Harley, J H ^[1]

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1. New York Univ. Medical Center, NY (USA)

The contribution of radon daughter exposure to excess lung cancer in underground miners is universally accepted. These miners received exposures from tens to thousands of WLM in a relatively few years. Although the miners were also exposed to other noxious agents in mines, the appearance of the excess lung cancer mortality in several types of mines and the increase with increasing exposure provide convincing evidence of the role of radon as the carcinogen. It is conceivable that exposures to radon at an average concentration of one to two pCi/liter, the levels for a majority of homes, might not produce excess lung cancers. This would require that a lifetime exposure at low concentrations produce a different response from that of a few years at higher levels for the miners. This is unlikely but not impossible. The current environmental epidemiology is of varying quality. The better studies may give some answers in a few years. These studies are more likely to establish an upper limit of risk than to provide an exposure-response model. Present risk estimates cannot be used accurately in estimating the overall lung cancer risk to the US population, since there are no good data on average exposure and exposure distribution. For example, the number of homes above the EPA guideline of four pCi/liter may range from two million to 10 million. An estimate of the actual radon exposure in the US may be forthcoming from a planned EPA survey, but these data will not be available for a few years. In the conservative tradition of radiation protection, indoor radon exposures in homes are estimated to produce a number of excess lung cancers in the population.22 references.

• OSTI ID: 6419437
• Journal Information: CA - Cancer Journal for Clinicians; (USA), Journal Name: CA - Cancer Journal for Clinicians; (USA) Vol. 40:5; ISSN 0007-9235; ISSN CAMCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560161* -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
BODY
CARCINOGENESIS
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
DISEASES
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
ISOTOPES
LUNGS
NEOPLASMS
NONMETALS
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
POLLUTION
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADON
RARE GASES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
REVIEWS
RISK ASSESSMENT