Lung Cancer Prevention through Radon Mitigation: Urgency and Effectiveness from a Local Perspective

A realistic estimate, incorporating radon concentration distributions, is given of the total number of local lung cancer incidences attributable to radiation from radon and its decay products in the residential environment in a community with an increased average indoor-air radon concentration. An estimate of the currently prevented lung cancer incidences due to past mitigations is presented. Finally we present the expected residual lung cancer death rates due to radon exposure for this community during the next decade. The purpose of this presentation is to provide information to educators and mitigators in order to aid in the process for legislative action and to demonstrate the effectiveness of small to medium sized companies. Finally, the presented information could serve as an example in the broader national discussion.