Radon and lung cancer: A call to action for physicians and policymakers

Radon gas exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, accounting for approximately 3,000 cases annually in Canada. A “Five things to know about…” paper in CMAJ  entitled “Radon and lung cancer risk" encourages physicians to ask patients to test their home and workplace for the invisible gas.

Dr. Silvina Mema and Greg Baytalan are co-authors of the article, and on this episode, they detail the significant public health risk radon poses, the relative ease of testing, and the cost of successful mitigation. They argue that family doctors and specialists play a critical role in creating awareness about radon gas and reducing its impact on patient health and the public healthcare system.

Next, Dr. Aaron Goodarzi advocates for changes to cancer screening guidelines to include individuals with elevated lifetime radon exposure.  Dr. Goodarzi is the Scientific Director of the Evict Radon national study. He points out that 40% of people who experience lung cancer will never be eligible for current screening programs because they don't use enough tobacco.

Dr. Goodarzi goes on to describe the many ways public policy can be used to reduce the risk of radon exposure, from updated building codes to mandatory testing of public spaces like daycares, and financial assistance for radon gas mitigation.

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