This may be responsible for lung cancer in nonsmokers

Lung cancer is often associated with smokers, however, 10-20% of lung cancers occur in people who have never smoked or had fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. The culprit is often radon, an odorless, colorless radioactive gas found in soil, rock and sometimes water.

Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Approximately 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.

Dr. Avani Mehta, a pulmonary and critical care medicine physician at Advocate Health Care, explains how radon can cause lung cancer. “Radon breaks down into tiny radioactive elements called radon progeny. It can enter your body as you breathe. They may get into your lungs where they can give off radiation. This damages lung cells and may eventually lead to lung cancer.”

People who work underground, such as miners, are the most likely to be exposed to radon. However, for those not in an underground workplace, the biggest risk of radon exposure is at home.

A radon test is often done during the inspection process when you are buying a house. A testing kit can be used if you don’t know the radon level in your home.

“If the radon test has a result of 4pCi/L or higher, then it is recommended that you take steps to reduce the radon in your home and talk to your primary care provider about your level of exposure,” says Dr. Mehta.

If you’ve been exposed to high levels of radon and regularly smoke cigarettes, your primary care physician will advise you to quit smoking as soon as possible.

“Those who have been exposed to radon and smoke cigarettes have approximately a 25-times higher risk of developing lung cancer than those who are nonsmokers,” explains Dr. Mehta.

Your primary care provider will also perform a full clinical assessment and screen for signs of lung cancer. This may include a chest x-ray, low-dose CT scan or sputum test.

Regardless of whether you’ve been exposed to high levels of radon, are a smoker – or both – it’s important to know what to watch out for.

Dr. Mehta notes that symptoms of lung cancer include shortness of breath, persistent cough, wheezing, coughing up blood and chest pain.

Take a free online quiz to learn your risk for lung cancer.