What are the health hazards of radon?
• Radon is a known human carcinogen and has been identified as the second leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking. If enough alpha particles from radon and radon decay products are inhaled, they can cause physical and chemical damage to the highly sensitive stem and basal cells of the human lung. The relevant damage here is to the DNA molecules of those cells, which compose the genes that control the activity of the cell. Damage to the DNA can cause the mutated cell to multiply rapidly and uncontrollably–a condition we call cancer. Learn more about how to protect yourself from radon.
