<<Back				What can Radon do?
						Radon is a dangerous gas.  There are many things that radon can do to humans or animals. One of the most common diseases from high levels or radon is lung cancer.  20,000 deaths from lung cancer are said to be caused by radon.  Radon is the second most common cause of lung cancer.  Smoking is the first.  The problem is that particles from radon stick to the linings of the passages that lead to the lungs, or in the trachea as labeled in the picture to the left.      Children are more affected by radon as opposed to adults or the elderly.  This is believed because children have higher respiration and a steadily increasing number of cells making it easier for the radon to spread from cell to cell.      If people smoke and have increased levels of radon in their home or are exposed to high levels of radon, then the possibility of lung cancer is greatly increased.      However, lung cancer is not the only disease caused by radon, but it is the most common.  Some others are, emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis.  These diseases, however, seem to be more common among
		underground miners or in other jobs where the workers are commonly exposed to cigarette smoke, diesel fumes, arsenic, or silica dust.      Animals have also been shown to have certain lung diseases.  This was shown in some tests done on the effects of radon on animals.  So, if there is incresed levels of radon in your home, you aren't the onlt ones at risk.