STUDY OF RADON LEVELS, CIGARETTE SMOKING AND CANCER

最近的调查显示， 美国的家庭室内氡含量超过 EPA的补救措施指导水平。 据估计 室内氡气污染占5,000到20,000肺 每年死于癌症的人数 这一估计是根据 对氡暴露量很高的矿工的研究; 可能无法推广到一般人群。 香烟 吸烟是肺癌的主要危险因素， 有证据表明，氡的影响可能是 吸烟者更大。 然而，可能的性质 氡烟之间的相互作用还没有得到充分的 量化。 此外，虽然大多数研究都集中在 肺癌风险，氡更广泛影响的可能性 不能排除暴露的可能性。 因此，关系 氡的累积住宅暴露与癌症之间 将在康涅狄格州进行一项基于人口的研究， 大约400名非吸烟者和600名吸烟者， 癌症和相似数量的匹配比较受试者 通过随机人群筛查选择没有肺癌的人。 通过全国癌症调查确定的偶发癌症病例 注册表将在3年内收集。 详细 将获得住宅历史和氡测量 将在过去的家园，以估计累积 每个受试者的氡暴露量。 联合与互动 氡和香烟烟雾暴露对肺癌的影响 将对风险进行评估。 在一项初步的同伴研究中， 累积的氡和背景伽马辐射暴露将 也被确定为大约125个儿童癌症病例 和250名健康对照。

Recent surveys indicate that between 10 and 20 percent of homes in the United States have indoor radon levels that exceed EPA's guideline level for remedial action. It has been estimated that indoor radon pollution accounts for 5,000 to 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. This estimates is extrapolated from studies of miners with very high radon exposures; results which may not be generalizable to the population at large. Cigarette smoking is the overwhelming risk factor for lung cancer and there is evidence to suggest that effects from radon may be greater in smokers. However, the nature of the possible interaction between radon smoking has not been adequately quantified. Furthermore, while most studies have focused on lung cancer risk, the possibility of broader effects of radon exposure cannot be ruled out. Accordingly, the relationship between cumulative residential exposure to radon and cancer risk will be explored in Connecticut, in a population-based study of approximately 400 nonsmokers and 600 smokers with lung cancer and a similar number of matched comparison subjects without lung cancer chosen by random population screening. Incident cancer cases identified through a statwide cancer registry will be collected over a 3 year period. Detailed residential histories will be obtained and radon measurements will be made in past homes in order to estimate cumulative radon exposure for each subject. The joint and interactive effects of radon and cigarette smoke exposure on lung cancer risk will be evaluated. In a preliminary companion study, cumulative radon and background gamma radiation exposure will also be determined for approximately 125 childhood cancer cases and 250 healthy controls.