Residential radon gas exposure and lung cancer: the Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study

R William Field; Daniel J Steck; Brian J Smith; Christine P Brus; Eileen L Fisher; John S Neuberger; Charles E Platz; Robert A Robinson; Robert F Woolson; Charles F Lynch

doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a010153

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Residential radon gas exposure and lung cancer: the Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Residential radon gas exposure and lung cancer: the Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study

R William Field, Daniel J Steck, Brian J Smith, Christine P Brus, Eileen L Fisher, John S Neuberger, Charles E Platz, Robert A Robinson, Robert F Woolson and Charles F Lynch

American journal of epidemiology, Vol.151(11), pp.1091-1102

06/01/2000

DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a010153

PMID: 10873134

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Abstract

Exposure to high concentrations of radon progeny (radon) produces lung cancer in both underground miners and experimentally exposed laboratory animals. To determine the risk posed by residential radon exposure, the authors performed a population-based, case-control epidemiologic study in Iowa from 1993 to 1997. Subjects were female Iowa residents who had occupied their current home for at least 20 years. A total of 413 lung cancer cases and 614 age-frequency-matched controls were included in the final analysis. Excess odds were calculated per 11 working-level months for exposures that occurred 5-19 years (WLM(5-19)) prior to diagnosis for cases or prior to time of interview for controls. Eleven WLM(5-19) is approximately equal to an average residential radon exposure of 4 pCl/liter (148 Bq/m3) during this period. After adjustment for age, smoking, and education, the authors found excess odds of 0.50 (95% confidence interval: 0.004, 1.81) and 0.83 (95% percent confidence interval: 0.11, 3.34) using categorical radon exposure estimates for all cases and for live cases, respectively. Slightly lower excess odds of 0.24 (95 percent confidence interval: -0.05, 0.92) and 0.49 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.03, 1.84) per 11 WLM(5-19) were noted for continuous radon exposure estimates for all subjects and live subjects only. The observed risk estimates suggest that cumulative ambient radon exposure presents an important environmental health hazard.

Smoking - adverse effects

Women's Health

Radon - adverse effects

Humans

Middle Aged

Case-Control Studies

Environmental Exposure - adverse effects

Lung Neoplasms - epidemiology

Air Pollutants, Radioactive - adverse effects

Lung Neoplasms - etiology

Smoking - epidemiology

Aged, 80 and over

Adult

Female

Iowa - epidemiology

Surveys and Questionnaires

Aged

Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced - epidemiology

Odds Ratio

Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation

Details

Title: Subtitle: Residential radon gas exposure and lung cancer: the Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study
Creators: R William Field - College of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA. bil-field@uiowa.edu
Daniel J Steck
Brian J Smith
Christine P Brus
Eileen L Fisher
John S Neuberger
Charles E Platz
Robert A Robinson
Robert F Woolson
Charles F Lynch
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: American journal of epidemiology, Vol.151(11), pp.1091-1102
DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a010153
PMID: 10873134
NLM abbreviation: Am J Epidemiol
ISSN: 0002-9262
eISSN: 1476-6256
Publisher: United States
Grant note: P30 ES05605 / NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES05653 / NIEHS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 06/01/2000
Academic Unit: Statistics and Actuarial Science; Oral Pathology, Radiology and Medicine; Occupational and Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Pathology; Biostatistics; Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
Record Identifier: 9983997363002771

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