The population-level impact of residential radon exposure on lung cancer across Canada

John Danforth | Robson DNA Science Centre, University of CalgaryRiver Cree Ballroom 1

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in Canada, of which 40% of cases are now attributable to non-tobacco environmental toxicant exposures such as inhalation of radioactive radon (222Rn) gas and its decay products. Buildings can contain radioactive radon gas to harmful levels, exposing occupants repetitively to alpha particle radiation emissions that modify lung cancer risk, with a 16% increase in relative lifetime risk of lung cancer per 100 Bq/m3 long term exposure to alpha radiation from radon. Through the Evict Radon National Study, we have generated a detailed, up-to-date, and (relative to the current state of Canadian communities, buildings, and people) statistically representative dataset of residential radon concentrations. Using information from nearly 100,000 Canadian participants, we have combined household Bq/m3 indoor air radon levels with the activity pattern information (i.e. time spent at home, outside, or in any other indoor air environment) of individuals to determine an equivalent alpha radiation dose from radon to the lungs, in millisieverts (mSv) per time spent in the home. To do this, we employed the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) standardized formula for converting radon level to personalized estimations for radiation doses from radon. Using this and estimates for relative risk of lung cancer from residential radon gas exposure, we derived population attributable risk (PAR) estimates. These values represent the relative proportion of Canadian lung cancer cases attributable to residential radon exposure in the context of both measured radon concentrations as well as doses in mSv/year. We then expressed all outcomes relative to recent Canadian census information on regionality, housing type, and community type to generate a well-rounded perspective of lung cancer risk from radon-related radiation exposure across diverse Canadian groups.

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