Health Risks From Exposure Radon Gas

Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer It should be emphasised that when the radon concentrations are high, it poses a serious risk to health. Radioactive decay of radon forms particles called 'Radon daughters'. If inhaled, radon decay products (polonium-218 and polonium-214, solid form), unattached or attached to the surface of aerosols, dusts, and smoke particles, become deeply lodged or trapped in the lungs, where they can radiate and penetrate the cells of mucous membranes, bronchi, and other pulmonary tissues. The ionising radiation energy affecting the bronchial epithelial cells can initiate the process of carcinogenesis. Although radon-related lung cancers are mainly seen in the upper airways, radon increases the incidence of all histological types of lung cancer, including small cell carcinoma, Aden carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.

Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend mostly on :

1. The radon levels found in your home or workplace
   
2. The amount of time you spend in your home or workplace

European study of radon and lung cancer risks.

The study - funded by Cancer Research UK and the European Commission.

A study to determine the risk of developing lung cancer from exposure to radon gas in homes was published using data pulled from thirteen seperate studies taken from nine European countries. The results obtained from this large and important epidemiological study confirmed a strong and detectable risk between lung cancer and the exposure to radon gas in the home. The group studied over 7,000 individual lung cancer cases and proved a direct link between even low levels of radon gas in the home and the development of lung cancer.The study estimated elevated radon exposure in the home accounts for over 9% of all lung cancer deaths in Europe.

Latest Radon Study Suggests A Link Between High Levels Of Radon In The Home And Childhood Leukaemia.

A recently published (July 2008) radon study conducted by The Institute for Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen suggests a direct link between children who live in homes with high levels of radon and an increased risk from acute lymphoblastic leukemia during childhood.