RADON AND LUNG-CANCER IN CORNWALL AND DEVON

The relationship between average indoor levels of radon and lung cance r mortality in the counties of Cornwall and Devon, England, are invest igated. The associations of population density, social-class distribut ion, and regional smoking prevalence with lung cancer mortality in the local-authority districts of England and Wales were estimated by regr ession analysis. Low rates of lung cancer in Cornwall and Devon were p redicted from the relationship. The differences between observed and p redicted mortality in Cornwall and Devon districts were compared with average indoor levels of radon, which varied considerably between dist ricts. Residual variations in lung cancer mortality were not significa ntly correlated with average indoor radon measurements. The current ad vice of the National Radiological Protection Board to government is to concentrate radon measurements, remedial action, and preventive actio n principally on Cornwall and Devon, but cross-sectional geographical data do not support the hypothesis that raised levels of radon indoors in southwest England have an important effect on lung cancer mortalit y.