Radon and Lung Cancer: What You Should Know

Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless radioactive gas released by soil and rock, and it is recognized as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking.

Radon forms from the natural decay of uranium in soil and rock and can seep into buildings through foundation cracks, accumulating to higher concentrations indoors than outdoors, particularly in basements and lower floors. Because it has no smell, color, or taste, radon exposure is typically undetectable without specific testing equipment.

Inhaled radon decay particles can damage lung tissue DNA over time, and epidemiological research has linked long-term radon exposure to increased lung cancer risk in both smokers and never-smokers, with smokers facing a substantially higher combined risk due to the interaction between radon and tobacco exposure.

Radon remains an active area of research interest specifically within the broader study of lung cancer in never-smokers, where researchers are working to better quantify its relative contribution alongside other environmental factors like air pollution.