Abstract
Indoor radon is the second most important risk factor for lung cancer and may also be a risk factor for hematopoietic cancers, particularly in children and adolescents. The present study measured indoor radon concentration nationwide at 5553 points during 1989–2009 and spatially interpolated using lognormal kriging. The incidences of lung cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), and leukemia, stratified by sex and five-year age groups in each of the 234 administrative regions in the country during 1999–2008, were obtained from the National Cancer Registry and used to calculate the standardized incidence ratios. After considering regional deprivation index values and smoking rates by sex in each region as confounding variables, the cancer risks were estimated based on Bayesian hierarchical modeling. We found that a 10 Bq/m3 increase in indoor radon concentration was associated with a 1% increase in the incidence of lung cancer in male and a 7% increase in NHL in female children and adolescents in Korea aged less than 20 years. Leukemia was not associated with indoor radon concentration. The increase in NHL risk among young women requires confirmation in future studies, and the radon control program should consider children and adolescents.
Highlights
Indoor radon is a major natural source of ionizing radiation exposure
We examined the incidence and gender differences in malignant tumors—i.e., lung cancer, leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), in association with indoor radon exposure—using a geographical correlational method based on a Bayesian approach
We examined the incidences of leukemia and NHL
Summary
Indoor radon is a major natural source of ionizing radiation exposure. Radon is a decay product of uranium, a naturally occurring element in granitic and metamorphic rocks [1]. Humans can be exposed to radon via skin contact with radon or drinking water containing radon, the major exposure pathway is via the inhalation of radon gases in indoor air. Kim et al [2] first reported an annual arithmetic mean indoor radon level of 53 Bq/m3 in. Korea, which is higher than the world average of 39 Bq/m3 and the highest level among East Asian countries [3]. About 8% of the surveyed households in Korea showed levels above the 300 Bq/m3. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 344; doi:10.3390/ijerph14040344 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
