Indoor living, long life and radiation risk

There is little doubt that the primary health effect from ionising radiation exposure is the development of cancer. Over the last 50 years, cancer incidence has increased for many body sites and this has been attributed to environmental factors in both the popular and scientific press. Life expectancy in Western countries has increased about 25% in these same 50 years. Since cancer is a disease of advancing age, longevity contributes to the risk of contracting the disease. Also, in the past 50 years most Western countries have shown a considerable increase in the time spent indoors, where central heating and air conditioning lead to a reduction of ventilation. The increase in cancer risk is estimated for these changes in longevity and living conditions. It must be remembered that longer life and indoor living also probably contribute to increased cancer risk from other sources as well. (author)