National study aims to address radon-induced lung cancer

Radon gas is a naturally occurring, colourless, odorless gas that, while not a health concern when diluted in open air, becomes dangerous when built up indoors and inhaled over time due to its radioactive properties. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada after tobacco smoking, killing an estimated 3,200 Canadians each year. Despite this, lung cancer screening programs have not yet integrated radon exposure as one of the risk criteria.

The National (CBC News) explores the risks of radon exposure in Canada and how the Evict Radon National Study, led by Dr. Aaron Goodarzi, PhD, is aiming to change the narrative of lung cancer screening.

A pilot study led by Dr. Goodarzi and co-principal investigator Dr. Michael Wieser, PhD, showed that radioactive lead, which is produced by the body after inhaling radon, can be found in slow-growing bodily tissues like your skin, hair and nails. In particular, they found that measuring the radioactive lead found in toenails can be a promising method of estimating an individual's long-term radon exposure.

Now, with funding from the Canadian Cancer Society, the team is hoping to collect 10,000 toenail samples from across Canada to confirm the results from the pilot study that someone's individual, long-term radon exposure can be reliably measured, with the goal of influencing lung cancer screening criteria.

Read the full story on CBC News.