Lung Cancer Mortality from Exposure to Indoor Radon (222Rn) in Mexico

Abstract

To evaluate lung cancer mortality in Mexico in the year 2012 attributable to exposure to the radioactive gas radon. Values of mortality from exposure to indoor 222Rn are obtained by the application of a model of excess of relative risk for the average indoor 222Rn concentration in Mexico taking into account values of lung cancer mortality statistics in Mexican population and smoking habits.   Lung cancer Mortality from exposure to 222Rn is estimated, for Mexican Republic in year 2012, with an exposure to indoor 222Rn for the last 35 years before 2012. The excess relative risk (ERR) model published in the BEIR VI report and modified by the USEPA was used with the Mexican population and lung cancer mortality rate data for both genders from the year 2012. According to official statistics there were a total of 6,547 deaths from lung cancer in Mexico in 2012, of which 4,147 were of males and 2,400 of females. The general mortality rate was 5.67; the mortality rates for males and females were 7.4 and 4.1 respectively. The countrywide average indoor radon concentration was estimated to be 83.3 Bq/m3. By calculating the excess relative risk (ERR) using the relevant mortality, demographic and smoking prevalence data, we were able to estimate that 3,041 male lung cancer deaths (73.3%) were attributable to causes other than radon exposure and that the remaining 1,106 lung cancer deaths (26.7%) were attributable to radon exposure. We estimate that 1,641 female lung cancer deaths (72.6%) were attributable to causes other than radon exposure and 619 (27.4%) were attributable to radon exposure. Lung Cancer Mortality rate from exposure to indoor 222Rn in Mexican population is smaller than UK, American and Canadian population although the average value of 222Rn  in Mexico is larger than those countries, due to the small baseline of lung cancer in Mexican population.