Link Found Between Radon & Blood Cancers in Women

The American Cancer Society believes it has found a link between radon exposure in women and the risk of blood cancers. According to Science Daily, the large study began in 1992 and included more than 140,000 participants. What the scientists found was that women living in counties with the highest mean radon concentrations had a 63% higher risk of blood cancers than those living in counties with the lowest radon levels.

Radon is known to cause lung cancer, killing more than 21,000 people in the U.S. each year. Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs from the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil. As the gas seeps out of the ground, it can enter homes, buildings, and schools. It is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers.

Radon is now is believed to play a role in women developing lymphoma, myeloma and leukemia. The American Cancer Society wants to do additional testing to see why the results were different for men and women. There was some speculation that women spent more time in their homes during the test period, or that men had a higher baseline risk as they had more exposure to occupational or other risk factors.

The best course of action is to test for, and - if needed - mitigate for radon, especially in areas known to have high levels of the gas present. If you have not yet tested your house for radon, just send us and email and we will send you a free test kit. Contact your local National Radon Defense dealer to get expert solutions for radon testing and mitigation in your home!