Is there information on lung cancer patients living in homes with radon and its effect? I know Acceptable levels are <.4 pcu/iiter but is that acceptable for a lung cancer patient?
I am currently being treated with Tarceva for a recurrence of NSCLC and so far progress is good. We just bought a home with high radon levels and will put in a mitigation system but the system recommended is a dehumidifier that also reduces radon levels (although not guaranteed.) The radon system costs $4000 additional to put in. I don't know what to do at this point - put in the mitigation system, believe the radon specialist who says but wont guarantee the less expensive system works, put the place back on the market and run far away? Any insight from any sources? Thanks!
Reply # - February 12, 2016, 08:37 PM
Hi snickerdoodle,
Hi snickerdoodle,
Welcome to GRACE, and congratulations on your good response to Tarceva. I think it's very difficult to know what level of radon exposure would be detrimental to a lung cancer patient, as that would be impossible to test. You can't really run a clinical trial in which some patients are exposed to higher levels of radon than others and then compare their responses to treatment/survival rates.
I have my doubts about a humidifier as an effective method of reducing radon levels. I've read that it is possible to reduce levels (at least somewhat) via the use of air filters, but that you would need a number of them throughout the house. I would say that if you can't find good information on the performance of the recommended unit, that you should seek another option.
I wish I had better information for you.
JimC
Forum moderator
Reply # - February 13, 2016, 07:36 PM
Thank you for your speedy
Thank you for your speedy response JimC. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to ask questions of others with experience and/or knowledge.
I appreciate that a proactive study can't be done. It is unfortunate enough that many people don't realize the risk of radon or have access to testing to check their homes until someone is sick. But it does make me wonder about patients who are living in high radon areas.
The dehumidifier system is more complex than it may sound - it involves putting a fan system in to draw air out of the upper house levels and into the basement or crawl space where it is vented outside, thereby forcing radon/humidity/air outdoors where it can disperse. It doesn't include sealing the ground where the radon gases are emerging. That's the part that concerns me. I understand the levels are reduced to very low levels but they don't guarantee that. But there aren't many guarantees in life anyway.
Best wishes,
Snickerdoodle
Reply # - February 13, 2016, 09:13 PM
In case anyone else is
In case anyone else is interested, this is a 2009 article in British Medical Journal on Lung Cancer from Radon and Cost Effectiveness and Potential of Policies to Reduce cases. It is a little hard to read since they use metric measures but I find it interesting that they conclude requiring new home construction to put in basic radon mitigation measures is a very cost effective way to prevent lung cancer. Regrettabley, it doesn't discuss what those measures should/could be.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769068/
Reply # - February 14, 2016, 04:21 AM
IMHO, I'd never move into a
IMHO, I'd never move into a house until it had been mediated and tested again. I'd also want the ground around the house tested since this is where radon originates from. Too much it's taking too much of a chance!
Take care, Judy
Reply # - February 15, 2016, 06:30 AM
Hi snickerdoodle,
Hi snickerdoodle,
I'm not familiar with that radon reduction technique, but my concern would be whether the system would successfully pull all of the radon-tainted air out of the house, or whether there would be pockets of air that would collect in certain areas and not be drawn out. Perhaps a question for the contractor.
JimC
Forum moderator