Exposure to Radon Causes Lung Cancer in Non-Smokers and Smokers Alike
Lung cancer kills thousands of Americans every year. Smoking, radon, and second-hand smoke are the leading causes of lung cancer. Although lung cancer can be treated, the survival rate is one of the lowest for those with cancer. From the time of diagnosis, between 11 and 15% of those afflicted will live beyond five years. In many cases, lung cancer can be prevented -- this is especially true for radon.
Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. Smoking causes an estimated 160,000 cancer deaths in the U.S. every year, according to 2008 statistics from the American Cancer Society. And the rate among women is rising. In 1964, Dr. Luther L. Terry, then U.S. Surgeon General, issued the first warning regarding the link between smoking and lung cancer. Lung cancer now surpasses breast cancer as the Number One cause of cancer deaths among women. A smoker who is also exposed to radon has a much higher risk of lung cancer.
Radon is the Number One cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.
Second-hand smoke is the third leading cause of lung cancer and is responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths every year. Smoking affects non-smokers by exposing them to second-hand smoke. Exposure to second-hand smoke can have serious consequences for children’s health, including asthma attacks. It can also affect the respiratory tract and make them vulnerable to bronchitis and pneumonia, etc. It may lead also to ear infections.
Mold is Everywhere
Mold spores are ubiquitous; they are found both indoors and outdoors. Mold spores cannot be eliminated from indoor environments. Some mold spores will be found floating through the air and on settled dust; however, they will not grow if moisture is not present.
Why Be Concerned?
Mold is not usually a problem indoors—unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. As molds grow, they digest whatever they are growing on. Unchecked mold growth can damage buildings and furnishings; molds can rot wood, damage drywall, and eventually cause structural damage to buildings. Mold can cause cosmetic damage, such as stains, to furnishings. The potential human health effects of mold are also a concern. It is important, therefore, to prevent mold from growing indoors.
Discovering fungi in the indoor environment raises three major concerns:
1) the potential health effects of exposure to fungi and their byproducts;
2) the effects of fungal contamination on the structural integrity of a building; and
3) the negative aesthetic effects fungi can produce both visually and on the human olfactory
system.
Although the issue of whether exposure to indoor fungi causes adverse health effects is controversial, there is no doubt that a seriously mold-contaminated building can suffer structural damage, and that a foul-smelling, fungus-filled building is aesthetically unpleasing. Controversies about health effects aside, the latter two reasons are sufficient to merit a Complete Mold Inspection and remediation when an environment is found to have fungal contamination.
People who have concerns about structural damage or the aesthetic effects of indoor fungi should seek the services of a certified mold inspector. People who have concerns about health effects of mold exposure should seek the advice of a healthcare professional.
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Mold/Radon
