Radon exposure in residential environment and lung cancer: A review of literature

The high concentration of radon in closed environments increases the exposure of the population to the harmful effects of the gas, a proven carcinogen. Objective: To review the literature, in order to examine the relationship between exposure to radon in indoor environments and the development of lung cancer. Methods: A literature review was performed in the databases PubMed / MEDLINE and Scopus, using the descriptors 'Radon', 'lung cancer', 'indoor' and 'residential'. The interpretation of the materials was based on the principles of thematic analysis. Results: A total of 16 Scopus articles and 13 PubMed / MEDLINE articles were selected, of which, 9 articles were common to both databases, adding a total of 20 articles. Conclusion: The residential exposure to radon increases the risk of developing lung cancer, especially when other risk factors are associated. The concentration of radon in houses is related to the presence of some features related to the construction of the building. Furthermore, exposure to radon is associated with the onset of small cell cancer. In Brazil, there is still a need for studies that quantify the concentration of radon in houses. (author)