Radiation and lung cancer

The epidemiological data from the atomic bomb survivors and from different groups of Rn-exposed underground miners are so far the main sources of our knowledge on radiation-induced lung cancer. In the first part of this paper the results of these two different data sets are outlined and compared. This comparison concerns the following topics: Primary risk coefficients, the differences between both sexes, the influence of smoking and the variation of the excess relative risk with time since exposure. Of main concern for radiation protection is the possible lung cancer risk of the general population from indoor exposure to radon daughters. In the second part the results of two different types of approaches are discussed: The direct approach from miners data and the so-called dosimetric approach from LSS data. The approach from the atomic bomb survivors' data yields considerably higher risk values for this indoor exposure than the approach from miners. This is particularly valid for females. This difference between both approaches increases if the proposed new dosimetric model for inhaled radon daughters is applied. Possible reasons for this inconsistency and the consequences for radiation protection are outlined. (author)