Radon poisoning has long been known to be the second most common cause of lung cancer next to smoking, and the most common among nonsmokers, but a recent study also indicates that it can cause blood cancers in women.

An increase in the risk for hematologic malignancies in women was found even after moderate levels of exposure. Led by the American Cancer Society, the 2016 study is the first prospective, population-based study of residential radon exposure and hematologic cancer risk. The results of the study are published in Science Daily.

Even Moderate Exposure Dangerous

“Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and now we have this second set of cancers that we think is associated with even moderate levels of radon,”  lead researcher Lauren Teras, PhD, strategic director of hematologic cancer research at the American Cancer Society (ACS) in Atlanta, told Medscape Medical News.

Teras recommends radon testing and remediation to minimize radon exposure.

“Once they have gone through the process, people can eliminate or vastly reduce their exposure to radon,” Teras said.