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Lung cancer in never-smokers: a case–control study in a radon-prone area (Galicia, Spain)

2014; European Respiratory Society; Volume: 44; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1183/09031936.00017114

1399-3003

María Torres‐Durán, Alberto Ruano‐Raviña, Isaura Parente-Lamelas, Virginia Leiro‐Fernández, José Abal-Arca, Carmen Montero-Martínez, Carolina Pena-Álvarez, Francisco Javier González‐Barcala, Olalla Castro‐Añón, Antonio Golpe-Gómez, Cristina Martínez, María José Mejuto-Martí, Alberto Fernández‐Villar, Juan Miguel Barros-Dios,

Effects of Radiation Exposure

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of residential radon exposure on the risk of lung cancer in never-smokers and to ascertain if environmental tobacco smoke modifies the effect of residential radon. We designed a multicentre hospital-based case–control study in a radon-prone area (Galicia, Spain). All participants were never-smokers. Cases had an anatomopathologically confirmed primary lung cancer and controls were recruited from individuals undergoing minor, non-oncological surgery. Residential radon was measured using alpha track detectors. We included 521 individuals, 192 cases and 329 controls, 21% were males. We observed an odds ratio of 2.42 (95% CI 1.45–4.06) for individuals exposed to ≥200 Bq·m −3 compared with those exposed to <100 Bq·m −3 . Environmental tobacco smoke exposure at home increased lung cancer risk in individuals with radon exposure >200 Bq·m −3 . Individuals exposed to environmental tobacco smoke and to radon concentrations >200 Bq·m −3 had higher lung cancer risk than those exposed to lower radon concentrations and exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Residential radon increases lung cancer risk in never-smokers. An association between residential radon exposure and environmental tobacco smoke on the risk of lung cancer might exist.