The Most Common Causes of Cancer for Middle-Age Women

Female Health

Why Radon Should Be Considered As a Cancer Risk to Women

It takes women by surprise. Cancer is one of the most dreaded diagnoses that a lady can receive. There are many different types of cancer, but radon is one of the most common causes of this disease that most people don't even consider. Sure, breast, uterine and other forms of cancer take center stage, but radon should also be a huge consideration in what actually fed the cancerous cells.

Because radon is an odorless radioactive gas, a woman may not even know that the area that she is in is problematic. The outside area has low levels that are naturally in the air. This is due in part to the fact that rotting of elements like thorium and uranium. This takes place in the soil. This gas has no odor, no taste and is completely invisible. Yet, it is able to seep through the ground and into the homes of those that live in geographical locations with high activity. Women are susceptible to this type of gas, and it is known to cause cancer.

Radon causes lung cancer. This is because it is breathed into the body and lodges into the lungs. Here the gas lodges and causes cancerous cells to mutate. Radon can come from a well that supplies the home with water, or it is especially known to be in homes that have a basement structure. The basement is close to the ground and it is easier to absorb these mineral gases through the floors.

Studies in women and men have shown that nearly 20,000 die each year due to radon exposure. Though the cancer can spread to other areas, women may not find the root cause from the lungs. This is why so many women say that they have lung cancer but never smoked a day in their lives. It is not because of cigarette smoke, but rather the radon gasses they have inhaled and haven't known about.

There is a way for women to reduce their risk and their families by doing testing on their home. Some areas tend to be a little more prone to higher levels than others. This is nothing that someone did or didn't do, but rather caused from the contents deep within the area of the earth they live on. Public awareness is the key to helping women become aware of the risk of radon cancer, and take preventative measures.

It is dangerous because you can't see it or taste it, but it can still be lurking inside the home and causing destruction within the human body. There are several people who will pass from cancer and never know what the root cause was. The EPA is helping to devise plans to increase awareness about this deadly gas. While the news brings a great deal of attention to breast, pancreatic and lung cancers, not very many discuss the root causes of these diseases that can be prevented.

It is imperative to check the home for radon. It doesn't matter if it is a new home, one that is 100 years old, or even one that is out in the country by itself. It's the ground that matters and what's deep in the earth can be deadly for women, men, and children alike.

The Radioactive Contamination Epidemic Fracking Has Caused

Natural Gas Drilling Rigs

Introduction to Natural Gas and Radon

The process of fracking, or Hydraulic fracturing, is a way of releasing natural gas or oil from inside the Earth by drilling and then injecting very high pressure fluid into the well, deep underground to fracture shale rock, releasing the natural gas or oil. Fracking can also be used to recover crude oil petroleum, and even to release geothermal energy from very deep sources. Currently, the United States, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom have energy companies that practice fracking as part of their energy production strategies.

History

The first operational and economically successful natural gas fracking well was drilled in 1950. The fracking process was experimented with as early as 1947. Over 2.5 million fracking sites had been created, worldwide, for natural gas and oil wells by the year 2012, at least a million sites in the U.S. alone.

Process

The fracking process is complex and requires some fairly advanced science to be applied carefully in order to succeed with desired results. The fracking liquid is a specific mix of water, sand, and some proprietary chemicals. It is injected into the bore of a well, usually at least a few hundred feet down, creating overwhelming pressure that causes shale rock layers to shatter. Once the shale rock is broken, it releases natural gas or petroleum back to the surface. When the high-pressure fluid is removed from the well opening, tiny clusters of the fracturing components, usually sand or aluminum oxide stays to keep the network of subterranean fractures open in the shale.

Fracking engineers study the well bore's sides to determine many characteristics particular to each fracking site. The depth level, rock density, and orientation of stress fractures are used to infer the dimensions of shale-holding natural gas sources. Seismology is employed to study micro seismic events, or tiny earthquakes, caused by the hydraulic pressure to map the height and width of a fracturing site. These micro-earthquakes have a very small magnitude level, too small to be detected at the surface, but are crucial to charting accurate maps of each site.

Controversy

Fracking is a controversial practice that proponents claim benefits the economy too significantly to be stopped by its many negative side effects. They say fracking produces the extremely valuable natural gas and oil needed to make our industries strong. Opponents to fracking disagree, claiming that the impacts on the environment counter any benefits. These impacts include contaminated ground water, radon air pollution, ground surface pollution, and over-depletion of fresh water. They say all these hazards to the environment combined with threats to public health are reasons enough to ban fracking for natural gas. They also claim damaging seismic activity has taken place because of fracking's effects on once unknown tectonic fault lines.

Another related issue in fracking, is the brine solution recovered at the surface of fracking wells, sometimes contains the radioactive minerals radon, radium, uranium, and thorium. Animals and humans exposed to the radiation experience long-term effects on health. Radon in particular is well known to cause lung cancer in humans. The issue of radon is exacerbated because it is somewhat soluble in water, thus spreading the areas of contamination at the surface.

Radon Resistant New Construction

Passive Radon System in New Home

Radon is an odorless and colorless gas that is also invisible. Radon can only be detected by using proper equipment. The decay of radium in the soil causes radon. Radon is considered a radioactive noble gas. Chronic exposure to high radon levels has been proven to increase the risk of lung cancer. This is why radon testing is so crucial. There are certain techniques that are used efficiently to reduce radon such as radon testing. Radon can be reduced this is why it is important to have radon testing in homes and when building a new house. Radon testing is affordable and should be done to ensure the safety of you and your family.

When building a house there are rules and special protocols that must be constructed to build a new home. Radon testing is a requirement. When building a new home it is crucial to make sure that soil entry points are sealed. Radon must be vented outdoors. There is a passive radon system that does not require fans or energy to move the gas in the air. By reducing soil gas and placing piping to allow proper ventilation so the harmful gas dos not accumulate. A vertical pipe connects to a t-shaped pipe in the slab and it also connects to a vent. This vent can run through the roof to allow ventilation of radon and other harmful gases safely. The pipe is usually ran about twelve inches above the roof. This is called a passive radon system.

Radon resistant new construction has been receiving more attention from the federal and state agencies. This is because radon resistant new construction refers to process of constructing a home for future radon systems to be placed. Radon resistant new construction allows contractors to place in radon systems before the slab is even poured. The radon resistant new construction helps to save lives by reducing radon within homes. Radon resistant new construction is updating their standards with the EPA.

A passive radon system can be installed by a professional. They also guarantee that a passive radon system will reduce radon levels within a home. If a pipe is not properly installed then a passive radon system will not work properly. This is why it is extremely important to hire a professional. All installers must follow EPA radon guidelines when installing a passive radon system.

Radon mitigation is the process of getting rid of radon gases. The first step to radon mitigation is to test and see if the radon levels need to be reduced. Ventilation is a form of radon mitigation. Radon mitigation can also test water supplies for contamination. Kits for radon mitigation are available but it is ideal to let professionals handle any concerns you may have.

According to the World Health Organization Radon Program, systems can be either passive or an active. Active radon mitigation consists of four elements. If you have an active radon mitigation system it is a good idea to have a professional test your home periodically. Active radon mitigation uses a blower that constantly pulls out air. A monitor verifies proper ventilation in active radon mitigation. To bring down radon levels have a passive or active radon mitigation installed.

Radon Levels in Caves Could be Hazardous

Radon Levels in Caves

Uranium can be detected on earth as far back as six billion years ago. While it is one of the heaviest metals its structure does not allow it to penetrate the earth's crust, so it remains on the surface. Radon naturally occurs when uranium decays and turns into an odorless and colorless gas that is released into the air. Radon is one of the heaviest metals that remain a gas under normal environmental circumstances. Naturally-occurring radiation is responsible for over 50% of the earth’s heat, even though it is crucial in providing a large proportion of the world’s electricity, it does have fatal side effects. 

Normally, radon levels in natural environments, such as caves, are very low because the gas escapes into the air. This process is inhibited when the radon is trapped inside of caves, allowing levels to rise to a dangerous point. Because they are rich in uranium ore, caves are littered with fragmented pockets that disperse this gas and raising radon to deadly levels. When caves are located near silicic volcanic rocks or areas frequented by earthquakes, they have naturally occurring higher levels of radon gas. 

With a lack of ventilation, long term exposure to high levels of radon in caves can be deadly. This health hazard was discovered in the 1940’s and 50’s during peak production times in mines, not only with uranium but other hard rock materials as well. These miners had significantly higher incidences of lung cancer deaths which led to improved ventilation in the mines in an attempt at lowering radon gas levels. Many countries have done studies to determine the possible health hazards of exposure to high levels of radon in caves. The U.S. participated in these tests due to concern for some of the highest levels of radon occurring through the middle and upper parts of Northern America. 

Collection of data was done over a period of a year to determine how weather factors into changing levels of radon in caves. Scientists recorded daily and seasonal climatic changes and their effects on the radon levels inside the caves. What they found was that levels were lower in winter and higher in summer, suggesting that higher temperatures did not allow radon gas to dissipate quickly. The results also indicated that winds also play a role in lowering radon gas levels. In the summer when there is little circulation in the air, the temperature inside the caves is uniform. During the winter when the air blows directly into the caves it lowers the temperature inside thereby, lowering radon levels. This natural ventilation also occurs during heavy rainfall periods.

During these experiments, various techniques were used to collect radon gas; from simple cups with filters to sputum collection from national park employees. In addition, they tested caves with large bat populations because these areas are known to have low to medium levels of radon. In the end, the results were the same - although somewhat inconclusive. As the studies done decades ago had indicated, long term exposure to radon in caves is detrimental to one’s health. However the fluctuating seasonal data for short term excursion into caves had too many factors to determine an exact impact this, in part, is due to the fact that radon has a half life of only 4 days.

How Radiation Causes Cancer

Radiation and the Cancer Process

This day and age there are many people that are concerned with radiation. Radiation has been in the news for many different reasons. Some types of radiation are used to kill and to treat different types of cancer while other types of radiation are actually the causes of different types of cancer. It is interesting to note that radiation can be both a positive and negative things when it comes to cancer and a person really does well to investigate radiation to find out how they can improve or minimize their risk of getting this potentially fatal disease through the different types of radiation.

 X-rays, Gamma Rays and Their Roles in Cancer:

Both x-ray and Gamma rays can come from an organic source in our earth. Our world is surrounded by different radioactive elements but radioactive elements can also be human made as well. When it comes to things such as Gamma rays and x-rays they were both created by humans and they give off nuclear energy. These types of rays are made in nuclear power plants. When these types of rays go through the cell in the human body they can cause the cells to change or to mutate. Quite often, these mutated cells will eventually expire on their own and cause no damage to the body. Other times the same cells can mutate and that mutation can lead to cancer. The reason that many people want to avoid these types of x-rays is because they do not want to do anything that would potentially increase their risk of developing cancer.

 Medical Radiation

Many cancer patients will use radiation therapy as a way to treat their cancer. When a person does receive this type of therapy they get high doses of ionizing radiation. This type of body radiation is used to go straight to the cancerous cells in order to cause their demise. At the same time this type of radiation therapy can cause different changes or mutations in other cells of the human body and then turn it can actually cause a person to develop a different type of cancer.

 Natural Sources

Natural radiation radon is a type of natural radiation. Radon is a type of gas that cannot be seen and has no smell and it is made up of a breakdown of different radioactive chemicals that are found on the earth. These natural elements can be found in things such as soil and rocks. Radon gas has been cited as the most frequent cause of environmental cancers by worldwide health organizations.

 Radiation and You

In reality it is virtually impossible to escape radiation completely. At some point in life every human being is going to have to be exposed to a certain level of radiation when it comes to testing, or their natural environment. In reality the best thing that people can do is try their best to lead healthy lifestyles, and of course get early prevention checks for cancer. While no one wants to get cancer there are many innovating tests that being done, and also there are many lifestyle changes that a person can make in order to lower their risk of getting cancer.

Mitigating Radon From Crawl Spaces

Crawl Spaces: Major Radon Infiltration Areas

When you are worried about radon in your home, you need to make sure that you get a system installed to help mitigate the radon. There are many times when you find radon in crawl space areas, and you need to be sure you have installed the right kind of removal system. We can help you with the radon emanating crawl space areas, and we can install a system that is going to help you remain safe.

Let’s discuss radon measurements for homes with crawl spaces:

When we put the radon detectors above crawl space areas, we are going to connect them to an alarm that is going to go off when levels of the gas exceed the national limit. Also, we are going to make sure that the alarm is going to catch your notice. The presence of radon is going to be detected immediately, and will determine that crawl space mitigation is warranted to prevent radon-induced lung cancer.

 Radon removal systems for crawl spaces:

The remediation system that we put in is going to mitigate the radon from the crawl space area, and it is going to make it much easier for you to keep the space healthy. A suction fan will be installed in line with a PVC pipe to extract the radon vapors from below a polyethylene shield. The radon mitigation system becomes a permanent fixture within the crawl space to continuously vent the gasses away from living spaces. Our system lowers the radon levels to nearly zero, which helps to protect the health of you and your family members.

 Ongoing monitoring:

If you want to have the system monitored by a service center, we can have someone checking on the radon levels at frequent intervals. When they get too high, we can take action to further reduce them. Radon in crawl space areas is a major threat and if you refuse to deal with it, anyone who goes down there is in danger. In many cases, elevated radon levels in crawl spaces can create a radon problem in living space above, so mitigating is always in your best interest. 

When you want to get the system installed to remove radon from crawl space areas, we can help you by designing an effective system to actively draw the gas away from the structure. We can help to mitigate radon in crawl space areas using the most effective methods available, and we will make sure that you are happy with the work we have done. When you are concerned about the radon in your crawl space, we can help. Our crawl space radon mitigation systems correct the problem quickly, effectively, and permanently!

Types of Lung Cancers Triggered by Radon Gas

Radon-Induced Carcinoma: The In-Depth Perspective

Lung cancer is the deadliest of all cancers. As the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, it kills more than 150,000 people in America every year, roughly one American every three and a half minutes. The incidence of radon induced lung cancer is also increasing at one-half a percent each year worldwide.

For now, about 171,841 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed yearly in the United States and more than one million worldwide. Overall, lung cancer is responsible for approximately 28 percent of all cancer-related deaths, more than colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers combined.

Why is Lung Cancer from Radon so Deadly?

Lung cancer is deadly because it is usually in advanced stages by the time physicians can diagnose it. Thus, the number of yearly deaths nearly equals the yearly diagnoses rate. Overall, more than 70 percent of lung tumors are diagnosed only when they have grown very large or metastasized. However, lung cancer is potentially curable if diagnosed early.

The Science of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer occurs when normal lung cells change and begin to divide uncontrollably. Like almost all of the body's cells, lung cells grow, divide, and produce more cells as needed for proper functioning. If cells begin to grow when they are not needed, they form a mass of extra cells that, in turn, form tumors.

Types of Lung Cancers

The two general classifications for radon induced lung cancer are small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. The most common form is non-small cell cancer, which accounts for about 80 percent of all lung cancer diagnoses. This type tends to grow and spread more slowly. Non-small cell cancer is usually broken down into three types and named after the kind of cells involved:

• Squamous Cell Carcinoma- thin, flat cells that look like fish scales, squamous cells are found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, the lining of the hollow organs of the body, and the passages of the respiratory and digestive tracks. Approximately 30 to 35 percent of all lung cancer diagnoses are squamous cell carcinomas and are found near a bronchus.
• Adenocarcinoma- This type of radon-triggered cancer begins in cells that line certain internal organs and that have glandular properties. Usually found in the lung's outer region, it is the most common of the lung cancers found in women and accounts for approximately 40 percent of all lung cancer diagnoses.
• Large Cell Carcinoma- This form of cancer forms large cells and they look abnormal when viewed under a microscope. Large cell carcinoma may form in almost any part of the lung. It tends to grow and spread quickly and, as a result, has poor prognosis. Large cell carcinoma accounts for about 10 to 15 percent of all lung cancers arising from radon exposure.

Small cell lung cancer accounts for about 20 percent of all diagnoses. It is considered the most aggressive type of lung cancer because it spreads quickly and widely throughout the body. Small cell lung cancer is also known as oat cell carcinoma and small cell undifferentiated carcinoma. It often begins in the bronchi near the center of the lungs.

In summary, lung cancers are some of the most devastating illnesses out there. One proactive measure that you can take to avoid the affliction is to test your office and household for radon gas. Being the second most common trigger of lung cancers, it makes good sense to detect and correct this issue before the health implications arise.