Radon vs. Lung Cancer
in Ireland
Recently, a report was published by Radiological Protection
Institute of Ireland entitled “Radiation Doses Received by the Irish Population 2014”). In this report, Figure 4 displays a map of Ireland showing radon levels in homes, with brown and dark brown colors indicating higher levels.
An article in Irish Examiner announced this report with the
headline “High levels of radon linked to lung cancer”. It said in part “Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas
which can accumulate in buildings to unacceptable levels. It is the second
biggest cause of lung cancer after smoking and is linked to up to 250 lung
cancer cases per year in Ireland.”
I decided to see how the
lung cancer rates in Ireland correlate with radon. The lung cancer risk in Ireland has been published in a report by National Cancer Registry of Ireland.
The geographical variation of lung cancer risk is shown in Map 6.1 of this
document. In this map, dark blue color corresponds to
higher lung cancer risk.
Comparing the two maps of radon levels and lung cancer risks, I marked the high lung cancer areas
(dark blue color) in red ovals, and the corresponding areas (approximately) in
the radon map also in red ovals. Then I
marked the high radon areas in the radon map (dark and light brown color) in
green ovals, and the corresponding areas in the lung cancer map in green ovals. As can be seen in the graph below, the red
ovals (high lung cancers) in the radon map are generally in white areas (low
radon levels) and the green ovals (high radon levels) on the lung cancer map
are generally covering green color in the lung cancer map indicating low lung
cancer rates. The ovals drawn are
approximate but the trends are clear.
Higher radon levels do not appear to be associated with higher lung cancer rates
but lower lung cancer rates.
Though many factors contribute to lung cancer, on first look, high residential radon levels don’t appear to be correlated with high lung cancer risk but they appear to be correlated with reduced lung cancer risk. In view of these observations, the headline and the text of the story in Irish Examiner “High levels of radon linked to lung cancer” may present a misleading picture on the hazards of residential radon.
- Mohan Doss
mohandoss99@gmail.com
mohandoss99@gmail.com
