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Utah is known to have lower than average smoking and drinking rates in the United States, but that doesn’t mean all health risks are lower. In fact, Utahns face unique lung cancer risks compared to many other states simply due to environmental factors.
According to the American Lung Association’s “State of Lung Cancer” report, Utah is 45th in the country for lung cancer screening rates, with only 12% of eligible Utahns getting screened for lung cancer. Utah’s smoking rate is 6.9%, compared to the national average of 13.4%, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check in with your provider about screening.
The University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute are urging Utahns to screen for lung cancer and are working to bridge the gap and raise screening rates. Lung cancer is very treatable when caught early, and it’s important for people to know that smoking is not the only cause of lung cancer.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and takes 21,000 lives every year. Unfortunately, almost half of Utah homes have high levels of radon, which means Utahns face a unique risk, even without high smoking rates.
Radon is a carcinogenic, radioactive gas that is created when uranium in the soil decays. When the gas seeps into homes and people breathe it in for a prolonged period of time, the DNA in their lungs changes and diseases can form. Not only can this lead to lung cancer, but studies have also shown that radon exposure can cause childhood leukemia and attention deficit disorders.
Unlike carbon monoxide, radon can’t be detected by our senses, which makes it particularly insidious. Most people don’t know they have high levels of radon in their home until they receive a stage three or four lung cancer diagnosis, even though radon-induced lung cancer is preventable with proactive testing.
According to the University of Utah, stigma is a big reason why people don’t discuss their health history with their providers, and if providers don’t know the full picture they can’t suggest the appropriate tests. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding about both lung cancer screening and how common radon is in the state. “Catching lung cancer early can mean the difference between a cure and a crisis,” according to Chakravarthy Reddy, MD, investigator and assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Utah. “The screening itself takes minutes. But those minutes could add years to someone’s life.”
We highly recommend having a candid conversation with your primary care provider about your potential lung cancer risk, especially if you have ever been a smoker or if you have a family history of lung cancer. Additionally, all Utahns should test their home for radon to know if they are being exposed in their own homes. We will send a free radon test to all Utahns who request one on this page. There’s no catch! Plus, if your home tests high for radon, we can walk you through the options for radon mitigation.
