When to test your home for radon
Dear Doctor: How important is radon as a cause of lung cancer? Should I get my home tested?
Dear Reader: Just a few years ago, radon was the topic of seemingly limitless public and media fascination. Times may have changed, but the presence of radon has not.
The problem with radon is that exposure to its radioactive particles may lead to cancer, specifically lung cancer. A 2006 study of 59,001 uranium miners followed for 30 years in Germany found a much higher number of lung cancers in those with greater exposure to radon. The highest incidence of lung cancer was seen 15 to 24 years after exposure. Uranium miners in the Colorado Plateau also appear to have an increased risk of lung cancer.
Those who don’t mine uranium can’t ignore the issue, however. The Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study, published in 2000, looked at 413 lung cancer cases in Iowa women, ages 40 to 84. The study measured amounts of radon in the homes of those patients who had lived in the same house for more than 20 years. It also measured radon levels in the homes of women with similar ages, smoking histories and work histories who didn’t have cancer.
Based on an analysis of radon levels in the control group, the study concluded that increased radon levels led to increased rates of lung cancer.
The take-home message: Radon exposure is considered a substantial risk factor for lung cancer. If you live in a part of the country where radon levels are high, you should have your home tested.