Radon and lung cancer: A cost-effectiveness analysis

Objectives. This study examined the cost-effectiveness of general and targe ted strategies for residential radon testing and mitigation in the United S tates. Methods. A decision-tree model was used to perform a cost-effectiveness ana lysis of preventing radon-associated deaths from lung cancer. Results. For a radon threshold of 4 pCi/L, the estimated costs to prevent 1 lung cancer death are about $3 million (154 lung cancer deaths prevented), or $480000 per life-year saved, based on universal radon screening and mit igation, and about $2 million (104 lung cancer deaths prevented), or $33000 0 per life-year saved, if testing and mitigation are confined to geographic areas at high risk for radon exposure. For mitigation undertaken after a s ingle screening test and after a second confirmatory test, the estimated co sts are about $920000 and $520000, respectively, to prevent a lung cancer d eath with universal screening and $130000 and $80000 per life-year for high risk screening. The numbers of preventable lung cancer deaths are 811 and 527 for universal and targeted approaches, respectively. Conclusions. These data suggest possible alternatives to current recommenda tions.