Survey: Most Americans Have Never Had Their Homes Tested for Radon, a Leading Cause of Lung Cancer
Fact checked by Nick Blackmer
Three in four Americans have never had their homes tested for radon, and over half say they're not concerned about their radon exposure, according to a new survey.
Radon is a colorless, odorless gas emitted from the breakdown of radioactive material underground that then seeps through building foundations.
To avoid radon exposure, people can get their homes tested, and can advocate for more radon testing in other shared spaces such as offices or schools.
Radon, an odorless gas, has been directly linked to lung cancer. But new data suggests most Americans don’t know and aren’t concerned about checking for this environmental carcinogen in their homes.
As many as 75% of people in the U.S. haven’t had their homes tested for radon, according to a survey from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC). And just over half say they aren’t worried about radon exposure in their homes or communities.
Radon is linked to about 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually.
"Radon is a lesser known public health risk factor for lung cancer," said David Carbone, MD, PhD, a thoracic medical oncologist and director of the Thoracic Oncology Center at the OSUCCC Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
“Because lung cancer is typically thought to be a ‘smokers disease,’ I think most people don’t consider radon as a real risk factor for lung cancer,” Carbone told Health. “But anyone with lungs can get lung cancer. And research tells us that radon is contributing to the development of lung cancer, in both smokers and non-smokers.”
Here’s what experts had to say about the connection between radon gas and lung cancer, how to test your home for radon, and who should consider getting preventative screening.
What Is Radon, and How Is It Linked to Lung Cancer?
This new survey was conducted by SSRS, a polling and research company, between February 2 and February 4. They included data from 1,006 respondents, all of whom were asked questions in English either via telephone or online. The SSRS data—gathered from its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform—are weighted to represent a population of U.S. adults.
The results showed that a large majority of Americans hadn’t tested their homes for radon, and 55% weren’t concerned about their radon exposure.
The largely apathetic responses from consumers are worrisome—it’s estimated that 10% to 20% of lung cancer cases occur in people who haven’t smoked, and radon could be playing a role.
Radon is a radioactive gas that people can’t see, smell, or taste, said Danny Nguyen, MD, a medical oncologist specializing in lung cancer at City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center. Radioactive metals uranium, thorium, and radium are buried deep underground, and they emit radon when they’re broken down in soil, rock, and water.
Because radon gas is radioactive, it produces high-energy particles that can damage the DNA of lung cells when you breathe it in, which can lead to cancer, Carbone explained. Everyone who breathes in radon over a long period of time is vulnerable.
“Buildings act like chimneys, drawing in radon from the ground,” Nguyen told Health. “When too much radon gets trapped inside a building, it can be deadly. Although radon is not the leading risk factor associated with lung cancer—that distinction goes to smoking—it is one of the top [causes of] lung cancer.”
Consequently, if you live in a home with radon exposure, your risk of lung cancer is heightened. That risk increases exponentially if you’re exposed to high levels of radon and you also smoke.
Reducing Your Exposure to Radon
Since radon naturally exists in the environment, it’s impossible to avoid it completely. In outdoor air, radon concentrations are usually around 0.4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Ideally, concentration in homes would be similar, but with current technology, levels in homes can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or lower.
People should definitely address the radon exposure in their homes if levels are above 4 pCi/L, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends, though people can consider it if levels are above 2 pCi/L. This usually involves installing a soil depressurization system, which pulls radon from the house and vents it outside.
As many as one in 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels. You can contact your state’s radon office to learn more about radon concentrations in your area, but almost any home can have a problem. The only way to know for sure is to have your living space tested.
“The best advice is to test every home for radon, no matter its age or construction type,” said Nguyen. “Unfortunately, it is a myth that radon exposure is only a problem in older homes and that newer buildings are somehow radon-proof.”
Radon testing can be done by a professional radon remediation company, which might be particularly helpful if you’re buying or selling a house. Or, you can do it yourself—recently, small, inexpensive devices also have become available online and provide accurate radon measurements, Carbone said.
“I would encourage everyone to test their homes—regardless of whether you are in a high radon zone—to know your exposure level, as risk is related to both the level of radon and the duration of exposure,” he said.
Even if you do have a radon mitigation system in place, you should still test your home for radon every few years, as levels can change, Carbone added.
But it’s not just homes to consider—many people spend a great deal of time at work or at school, but many of these spaces often go untested for radon, he explained. People can enquire with employers or school officials about radon testing and may even feel compelled to lobby legislators to require it.
“Risk is cumulative, and we would have no idea that we were being exposed to radon unless all of these areas are tested,” said Carbone.
Related: What Younger and Middle-Aged Women Need to Know About Lung Cancer
When to Get Screened for Lung Cancer
In the U.S., lung cancer is the second most common cancer and causes the most cancer deaths annually. To try to catch cancer early, some people can get screened for lung cancer with low-dose CT scans.
This annual screening is recommended for those at high risk of developing lung cancer. This includes adults between the ages of 50 and 80 who have a 20-pack-year history of smoking—meaning they’ve smoked one pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years—and who still smoke or quit within the last 15 years.
Though it’s not listed in the guidelines, people who are concerned about their exposure to radon should speak with their doctor. Based on each individual patient, a healthcare provider may suggest lung cancer testing or may refer the person to a specialist for further evaluation.
People should also be on the lookout for any potential lung cancer symptoms, and let their doctor know if anything seems off. This could include a cough that won’t go away, shortness of breath, wheezing, unexplained weight loss, or fatigue.
This is especially important because, when lung cancer is caught early, the cure rate can be between 90% and 95%, Carbone said.
“The bulk of cases, however, are not detected until the disease has spread throughout the lung or to other parts of the body, when treatments aren’t as effective,” he explained. “It is important that anyone deemed at risk for lung cancer get timely screening, and that people who might be at increased risk due to secondhand smoke, radon, or occupational exposures (like firefighting) talk to their doctors about testing.”
Related: How Is Lung Cancer Treated?
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