I found your statistics regarding lung cancer intriquing; however,
I wonder if they were adjusted to reflect other risk factors for lung
cancer such as smoking rates, occupational hazards, etc.
It has been a while since I looked at the data, but I seem to
recall that direct inhalation of radon daughters was considered to be
responsible for a relatively small fraction of lung cancers (less than
30%) overall. However, if I'm not mistaken radon daughter inhalation is
a bigger factor for nonsmokers.
I also seem to remember that radon daughters are thought to be
responsible for about a third of lung cancers in smokers; however, the
mechanism is indirect - the daughters agglomerate on particulates in the
air which end up settling out on the tobacco leaves (which are broad and
sticky).
Anyhow, I'd be interested in your comments on these questions
given your background in health physics.....
Mark
Dr. Mark H. Shapiro
Physics Department
California State University, Fullerton
P..O. Box 6866
Fullerton, California 92834-6866