Radon—The Element of Risk. The Impact of Radon Exposure on Human Health

Lung cancer is a heterogeneous group of diseases with multifactorial aetiology. Smoking has been undeniably recognized as the main aetiological factor in lung cancer, but it should be emphasized that it is not the only factor. It is worth noting that a number of nonsmokers also develop this disease....

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anna Grzywa-Celińska, Adam Krusiński, Jadwiga Mazur, Katarzyna Szewczyk, Krzysztof Kozak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-12-01
Series:Toxics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/8/4/120
Description
Summary:Lung cancer is a heterogeneous group of diseases with multifactorial aetiology. Smoking has been undeniably recognized as the main aetiological factor in lung cancer, but it should be emphasized that it is not the only factor. It is worth noting that a number of nonsmokers also develop this disease. Radon exposure is the second greatest risk factor for lung cancer among smokers—after smoking—and the first one for nonsmokers. The knowledge about this element amongst specialist oncologists and pulmonologists seems to be very superficial. We discuss the impact of radon on human health, with particular emphasis on respiratory diseases, including lung cancer. A better understanding of the problem will increase the chance of reducing the impact of radon exposure on public health and may contribute to more effective prevention of a number of lung diseases.
ISSN:2305-6304