Oregon State University study links childhood cancer to radon exposure
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – In the largest study of its kind, research led by Oregon State University found a link between childhood cancer and radon exposure.
During the 18-year study across 14 states, the researchers not only found a link between radon and childhood leukemia but found the link at concentrations below the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended guidelines for radon mitigation.
The researchers noted the significance of their findings as there are few established risk factors for childhood cancer and come as childhood cancer rates are on the rise in the United States.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas and is the product of radioactive decay of uranium found in certain rocks and soils. It can also seep into homes or buildings with risks for the radioactive particles to collect in the human body.
According to the EPA, no level of radon is safe, and the agency recommends addressing radon levels when its concentration reaches 148 becquerels per cubic meter. This study, however, considered concentrations as low as half of that.
“This is the largest study of its kind in the U.S., but more robust research is necessary to confirm these findings on an individual level and inform decision-making about health risks from radon in this country and globally,” said lead researcher Matthew Bozigar, an assistant professor in the OSU College of Health.
About 3,000 new cases of childhood leukemia – including patients up to 19-years-old – are diagnosed in the U.S. every year, the researchers said. While boys are more likely to be diagnosed with leukemia than girls, radon increases the likelihood of the disease in both sexes.
“Our study design only allows us to identify statistical associations and to raise hypotheses, so studies that can better determine whether radon exposure causes childhood leukemia are needed,” Bozigar addded.
For Bozigar, the research was personal as he grew up in Portland, which has areas with high levels of radon. He noticed there seemed to be high incidence of cancer, especially among young age groups, and multiple cancer diagnoses among his family and friends.
MAP: Risk of radon exposure in Oregon
“As an epidemiologist, I started considering possible environmental causes and connected with awesome collaborators who provided important data and other resources to enable innovative new analyses,” Bozigar said. “We are working on many different radon studies, and we are continuing to find harmful effects not limited to the lungs in adults. We will have more to share in the coming months and years as our studies are published.”
Bozigar collaborated with researchers from the National Cancer Institute, Harvard University, and Imperial College London. The study was partially funded by the EPA.