Lung cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer-related death, outranking breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined. The American Cancer Society estimates that 222,500 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2017, and that 155,870 Americans will succumb to the disease. But while lung cancer is typically associated with smoking, many Americans who have never smoked and have barely been exposed to secondhand smoke are still diagnosed. The cause could be radon exposure, which remains an alarming problem in a variety of settings.   Radon Exposure and Lung Cancer Ample empirical evidence indicates a link between radon exposure and lung cancer. Although the radon exposure associated with lung cancer was once believed to be primarily prompted by smoking, many studies suggest that radon in residential, commercial, and industrial settings can place exposed individuals at considerable risk. It’s common knowledge that mines and other industrial settings prompt excessive exposure to radon, but residential settings may be nearly as bad. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology linked higher than desirable radon concentrations with lung cancer diagnosis. Shockingly, sixty percent of participants’ basement radon concentrations exceeded recommendations established by the US Environmental Protection Agency. This was also true … Continue reading Radon on Deaths on the Rise: Why Are More Non-Smokers Dying From Lung Cancer?