News & Information

Did you know that smokers aren’t the only people who get lung cancer?

While it’s true that the majority of lung cancer cases are tobacco-related (about 80%, according to the American Cancer Society), 20% of lung cancer is not caused by any type of tobacco. What causes these cancer cases?

Often, it’s radon.

Radon is a little like the fictional “iocane powder” in The Princess Bride – it’s an invisible gas that cannot be tasted or smelled. Unlike the make-believe poison in the movie, though, radon is real and radioactive. This gas forms when radioactive elements in rocks and soil start to decay; once it’s been released, the gas can travel throughout the ground and surface water.

Radon can seep into homes through cracks in the floors, walls, pipes or foundations. Since the gas comes from the soil, basement rooms are at a higher risk of radon exposure, and people who spend a lot of time working in basements may be at a greater risk for radon-related lung cancer. According to the EPA, 1 in every 15 U.S. homes has elevated radon levels.

When you breathe radon particles, they can lodge in your lungs and build up, eventually triggering cancer. As the second-leading lung cancer cause in the United States, radon factors into 20,000 deaths per year.

If you believe you may have been exposed to radon, you could be at risk for lung cancer. Taking out a cancer insurance policy could be one of the best decisions you’ll make for yourself and your family: lung cancer insurance will pay you a lump sum benefit after a cancer diagnosis, allowing you to pay for any extra expenses you may have.

Don’t forget, November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month! Show your support and get involved at http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/.
 

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/lungcancer-non-smallcell/detailedguide/non-small-cell-lung-cancer-risk-factors

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/pollution/radon