Radon Exposure And Lung Cancer Risk In Romania

After smoking, radon is considered to be the second cause of risk in releasing pulmonary cancer. This fact was clearly demonstrated by many cohort studies on miners from uranium and non-uranium mines. In 2005 a big European pooled study clearly shown the risk of lung cancer due to indoor radon exposure for general population. In Romania more than 1200 measurements (800 grab samples and over 400 integrated measurements) for radon indoor exposure are available at this moment. Based on these data and on the last risk factor from the above-mentioned study an estimation of the annual rate of lung cancer due to radon exposure in Romania was made. Our preliminary data for the Bihor and Cluj districts show the same relative radon-lung cancer risk as the mentioned work. We concluded that between 1200 and 1800 lung cancers cases every year can be attributed to indoor radon exposure for the Romanian population. Also a small epidemiological pilot study in Transylvania regarding radon exposure and lung cancer risk was started in 2006 (the Stei area). In the Stei region (the Bihor county), based on many measurements a high radon exposure for population was estimated.