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- Title
RADON CARCINOGENESIS: RISK DATA AND CELLULAR HITS.
- Authors
Harley, Naomi H.; Chittaporn, Passaporn; Heikkinen, Maire S. A.; Meyers, Owen A.; Robbins, Edith S.
- Abstract
Abundant epidemiological data are now available (2008) on the human lung cancer response for lifetime radon gas exposure to residential concentrations of 100 Bq m[sup-3], equal to 22 working level months over 40 y. We combined published pooled epidemiological data and dosimetric calculations of alpha particle hits to target basal or mucous cell nuclei in bronchial epithelium. This yields an estimate that about 10 000 basal nuclei (target) cell hits per cm[sup2] per person over a lifetime are involved in radon-related lung cancer. The DNA target cell area (cross section) for a hit is about 2 bp. The present epidemiology indicates that 1000 persons need to be exposed to this hit rate for observable cancers to be detected. The mechanism proposed is that the extensive prior DNA damage in smokers, followed by alpha particle damage to a critical site in checkpoint genes, accounts for the greater lung cancer response in smokers.
- Subjects
LUNG cancer; RADON; RADIATION dosimetry; CARCINOGENESIS; ALPHA rays; EPITHELIUM; MUCOUS membranes; DNA damage; CIGARETTE smokers; EPIDEMIOLOGICAL research; DISEASES
- Publication
Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 2008, Vol 130, Issue 1, p107
- ISSN
0144-8420
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/rpd/ncn123