Combined analysis of onco-epidemiological studies of the relationship between lung cancer and indoor radon exposure

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p><jats:italic>Objectives</jats:italic>: Recent results of epidemiological and medical statistics studies of lung cancer and indoor radon in different regions of the world make a relevant new combined analysis of residential exposure health effects. In particular, new data were obtained by means of a meta-analysis of case-control studies as well as taking into account a confounding effect of human papillomavirus infection in studies of geographically aggregated data.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:italic>Materials and methods</jats:italic>: Two sources of epidemiological data are considered: (1) studies of ecological design and (2) case-control studies. Ecological studies included the analysis performed for the USA counties and Russian oblasts with adjusting for the main confounders. Data on the case-control studies were gained from the meta-analysis of 31 individual studies with a weighting of obtained odds ratios according to the quality of radon exposure reconstruction and size of the reference group. Estimations of lung cancer excess relative risk (ERR) associated with indoor radon exposure are combined.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:italic>Results</jats:italic>: Two types of epidemiological study design provided generally consistent EER estimations. The combined value of ERR due to radon exposure is 0.14 (90% CI: 0.10–0.18) per 100 Bq/m<jats:sup>3</jats:sup>.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:italic>Conclusion</jats:italic>: Available geographically aggregated data in regions of Russia and the United States and the meta-analysis of case-control studies conducted in a large number of countries confirm the association of lung cancer with indoor radon exposure.</jats:p>

Seasonal Variation of Radon Concentrations in Russian Residential High-Rise Buildings

“…A strong causal association between residential radon exposure and lung cancer mortality is supported by pooled analysis of case control studies performed in Europe and North America [2,3]. A combined evaluation of estimates of residential case control studies meta-analysis and geographically aggregated data on lung cancer mortality and average indoor radon concentration yielded an excess risk of lung cancer of about 14% (90% CI: 0.10-0.18) per radon concentration 100 Bq/m 3 linked to an exposure period of 25-30 years [4]. The health risk assessment has demonstrated that radon is the second cause of cancer after smoking [1,5].…”

Radon concentration in conventional and new energy efficient multi-storey apartment houses: results of survey in four Russian cities

“…Findings from epidemiologic studies support a strong causal association between indoor radon concentration and lung cancer mortality 1 , 2 . According to combine of several studies 3 excess risk of lung cancer is about 14% per radon concentration 100 Bq/m 3 linked to an exposure period of 25–30 years. ICRP consider that there is no known threshold concentration below which radon exposure presents no risk of lung cancer 4 .…”