Radon and Lung Cancer: An Epidemiological Study in Norway

Abstract

Abstract The objectives and strategy of an epidemiological study on the effects of exposure to radon in Norwegian dwellings is presented. The study is a cooperation between the National Institute of Radiation Hygiene and the Norwegian Cancer Registry in Norway and the National Radiological Protection Board of the United Kingdom, with funding by the Norwegian Cancer Society. Measurements of radon are being made in 10,000 dwellings representing all Norwegian municipalities. The houses have been selected by a stratified random sampling procedure based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics of Norway. The number of measurements in each municipality is proportional to the number of inhabitants. The total population of Norway is about 4 million. Thus one measurement will be performed per 400 inhabitants and one in 150 homes will be measured. The potential for detecting an effect of radon exposure by such a study in Norway is unique because; (1) Radon concentrations are high and there are large regional variations. (2) Data from the Norwegian Cancer Registry is of high quality: all cancers have been subject to compulsory reporting since 1955. These data can be broken down according to municipality, sex and age. (3) In 1964/1965 a large scale survey of smoking habits was carried out in Norway. These data can also be broken down according to municipality, sex and age, and by types of smoking and smoking rate. It is intended to examine the correlation between lung cancer incidence and geographical variation in radon levels after making allowance for smoking habilts. Radon measurements were started in early 1987 and the results of the study are expected to be published in 1989.