Oct . 9 , 2024
UCalgary researchers investigate environmental lung cancer risk with a transdisciplinary lens
Scholars join forces with the community to build solutions to Canada ’ s second-leading cause of the disease
AUTHOR : Samantha Lafleur , Communications
The new cancer research hub supports Aaron Goodarzi and his team as they work to deepen our understanding of the causes of lung cancer . Phil Crozier
When people think of lung cancer , they often associate it with tobacco smoking . However , the
second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada is radon , which poses a greater health risk in Canada than in many other parts of the world .
Radon is a naturally occurring , odourless and colourless gas that rises to the surface from the ground . In the outside air , it dissipates . However , in residential buildings , this gas can become trapped and accumulate over time , creating a health hazard for anyone breathing it in .
Many Canadians don ’ t realize the gas is the greatest source of cancer-causing radiation over a lifetime and is most often encountered where they live , says Dr . Aaron Goodarzi , BSc ’ 99 , PhD ’ 05 , a professor at the University of Calgary ’ s Cumming School of Medicine ( CSM ) and lead of the Evict Radon National Study .
“ That ' s why I started many years ago studying the health effects of radon , which is , to put it short , lung cancer ,” says Goodarzi . “ Radon emits radiation inside our lungs because we breathe it in , and that drives our cells towards a state of DNA damage and mutation that increases the risk of developing lung cancer .”