Human lung cancer risks from radon: influence from bystander and adaptive response non-linear dose response effects

Abstract

The book examines the aspects of human lung cancer risks from radon following the publication BEIR VI report. The topic is covered in eight chapters and two appendices along with the usual heads of preface, acknowledgments, references and index. It is apparent that Dr Leonard was motivated to perform the research, publish three peer-reviewed papers and write this book, by the large amount of case–control human lung cancer data that exhibit a very wide variation in human lung cancer risks from radon. The author previously had success in his adaptive response (AR) analysis using a microdosimetry model tailored after that proposed by the pioneers of microdosimetry, Victor Bond, Myron Pollycove, Ludwig Feinendegen and others. In all prior AR work, he found that a single low-LET radiation-induced charged particle traversal through the cell was sufficient to trigger the AR protective mechanism, and that AR protection is independent of radiation type or cell species. What is so remarkable is that he shows that an extremely small amount of energy per traversal is sufficient to trigger the protective mechanism.