Radon in Canadian homes is linked to rising lung cancer and researchers are testing a new exposure test

A Calgary man who never smoked was later diagnosed with advanced lung cancer after years working in a basement that tested high for radon; a cross-Canada project is collecting 10,000 toenail samples and home radon data through 2028 to develop a test of long-term exposure.

When Steve Blake moved into his Calgary home in 1995 he spent many years working in the basement. In 2023 he was diagnosed with inoperable Stage 4 lung cancer and later found his basement had consistently high radon readings. Radon is an odourless gas from the ground that can accumulate indoors and is linked to lung cancer; researchers are studying ways to measure long-term exposure. Key points: - Steve Blake had no smoking history and later tested his basement and found high radon readings. - Radon is estimated to cause about 3,200 lung cancer deaths in Canada each year. - Recent data suggest roughly 18% of Canadian residences have radon at or above 200 Bq/m3, and about 10 million households may be at risk. - The Evict Radon research team is collecting 10,000 toenail samples and home radon data nationwide, with this phase funded by the Canadian Cancer Society and set to conclude in 2028. - Only British Columbia and Ontario currently operate permanent lung cancer screening programs, and B.C. runs a pilot that screens some non-smokers living in homes with very high radon levels. Summary: The report highlights growing attention to radon as a contributor to lung cancer and gaps in screening coverage across provinces. Evict Radon's large-scale sample collection aims to develop a way to measure long-term individual exposure that could inform screening criteria. The current research phase is scheduled to conclude by 2028. Undetermined at this time.