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Radon and Smoking Relationship
Each smoke particle a person breathes in is an excellent
vehicle for radon decay products to enter the lungs. These radon products
will then destroy the DNA structure of the lung cells.
Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of lung
cancer. And studies have shown that radon is the second leading cause of
lung cancer in the United States, resulting to 20-30, 000 lung cancer deaths
of people, annually.
Radon exposure and smoking habit produces a synergy that
markedly raises the risk of mortality. Exposure to the combination of radon
gas and cigarette smoke creates a greater risk for lung cancer than either
factor alone. The majority of radon-related cancer deaths occur among
smokers.
Listed below are the several causes of lung cancer:
Cigar, Cigarettes and Pipes
They contain carcinogens. Carcinogens are harmful
substances in tobacco that damage the cells in the lungs. Over time, the
damaged cells may become cancerous. Smokers have higher risk of developing
lung cancer than non-smokers. The damage depends on the age at which smoking
began, how long the person has smoked, the number of cigarettes smoke per
day, and how deeply the smoker inhales. Quitting smoking habit greatly
reduces a person’s risk for developing lung cancer.
Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)
Exposure to ETS, the smoke in the air when someone else
smokes, also known as secondhand smoke or involuntary or passive smoking,
can also cause lung cancer. The greater the exposure is, the higher the risk
of lung cancer is.
Radon and Asbestos
Radon is next in rank to smoking as the cause of lung
cancer. Refer to radon pages for more information. Asbestos is a group of
minerals that occur naturally as fibers and are used in certain industries.
Its fibers tend to break easily into particles that can float in the air and
stick to clothes.
Like radon, asbestos particles when inhaled, lodge in the
lungs and damage cells, thus increasing the risk for lung cancer. In study
observed in asbestos industries such as shipbuilding, asbestos mining and
manufacturing, insulation work, brake repair, workers exposed to asbestos
have 3 to 4 times higher risk of lung cancer than workers who are not
exposed to radon. The risk of lung cancer is even higher among asbestos
workers who also smoke. It is recommended that asbestos workers should use
the protective equipment by their employers to shield themselves from
asbestos exposure and follow recommended work practices and safety
procedures.
Lung Diseases
Lung diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), increase a
person’s chance of developing lung cancer. Lung cancer is likely to
deteriorate a person’s health problem by developing smoothly in the areas of
the lung that are already scarred with TB.
Lung Cancer History
Individuals who have already experienced having lung
cancer are more likely to develop a second experience, compared to
individuals with no lung cancer history. Quitting smoking after lung cancer
is diagnosed may prevent the development of a second lung cancer.
Pollution
Another possible cause of lung cancer is exposure to
possible air pollutants, such as by-products of the combustion of diesel and
other fossil fuels.
Adapted from:
Cancer Control
CIS.NCI.NIH.gov
Cancer Topics
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