Radon Gas vs Radon Decay Products
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Radon is a Class A Carcinogen but it is not the gas itself that poses the greatest health risk. Radon decays into short-lived, radioactive particles called Radon Decay Products (RDPs). This is called Ionizing Radiation.
The RDPs that cause lung cancer are:
- Polonium-218
- Lead-214
- Bismuth-214
- Polonium-214
Latency Effect of Damage to Lung Tissue:
- Once inhaled, Radon Decay Products damage the lung tissue called bronchial epithelium.
- The latency period for this damage to the DNA can be up to 25 years.
- In other words, from the time the RDPs damage the lung tissue, it can be up to 25 years before the symptoms appear.
- This is why we don’t see a lot of CHILDREN diagnosed with lung cancer.