The Iowa radon lung cancer study — phase I: residential radon gas exposure and lung cancer

Abstract

Exposure to high concentrations of radon ( 222Rn) progeny produces lung cancer in both underground miners and experimentally-exposed laboratory animals. The goal of the study was to determine whether or not residential radon exposure exhibits a statistically significant association with lung cancer in a state with high residential radon concentrations. A population-based, case-control epidemiologic study was conducted examining the relationship between residential radon gas exposure and lung cancer in Iowa females who occupied their current home for at least 20 years. The study included 413 incident lung cancer cases and 614 age-frequency-matched controls. Participant information was obtained by a mailed-out questionnaire with face-to-face follow-up. Radon dosimetry assessment consisted of five components: (1) on-site residential assessment survey; (2) on-site radon measurements; (3) regional outdoor radon measurements; (4) assessment of subjects’ exposure when in another building; and (5) linkage of historic subject mobility with residential, outdoor, and other building radon concentrations. Histologic review was performed for 96% of the cases. Approximately 60% of the basement radon concentrations and 30% of the first floor radon concentrations of study participants’ homes exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency action level of 150 Bq m −3 (4 pCi l −1). Large areas of western Iowa had outdoor radon concentrations comparable to the national average indoor value of 55 Bq m −3 (1.5 pCi l −1). Excess odds of 0.24 (95% CI=−0.05–0.92) and 0.49 (95% CI=0.03–1.84) per 11 WLM 5-19 were calculated using the continuous radon exposure estimates for all cases and live cases, respectively. Slightly higher excess odds of 0.50 (95% CI=0.004–1.80) and 0.83 (CI=0.11–3.34) per 11 WLM 5-19 were noted for the categorical radon exposure estimates for all cases and the live cases. A positive association between cumulative radon gas exposure and lung cancer was demonstrated using both categorical and continuous analyses. The risk estimates obtained in this study indicate that cumulative radon exposure presents an important environmental health hazard.