Radon gas gets media attention in the United States because of the way it collects in homes and increases the risk of lung cancer. But this is just one effect of radon; other countries view the gas in a friendlier light, and it has medical applications even in America. Radon gas has been indicated for arthritis pain relief and is used in cancer treatment.
Arthritis Therapy
Many Europeans and Russians view radon gas as a valid treatment for arthritis pain. They treat all types of arthritis--from osteoarthritis to rheumatoid arthritis--with radon gas. Multiple studies exist that demonstrate the effectiveness of the gas at decreasing pain. One such study conducted in 2000 by Dr. A. Franke and colleagues in Munich, Germany, showed that radon gas treatment provided better long-term relief of pain from rheumatoid arthritis than similar treatments without the gas. People seeking radon gas therapy typically go to radon spas and clinics where they can sit in rooms--much like saunas or steam rooms--with high radon gas concentrations. Those who cannot afford to go to radon spas have been known to seek out old mines where radon has accumulated and receive treatment there.
Carcinogenic Effects
Radon gas is a product of the radioactive decay of the elements thorium, uranium and radium. These elements exist in trace amounts in soil and rock all over the planet. As the gas is produced, it seeps out of the earth and generally dissipates to a harmless concentration in the atmosphere. It can become trapped, however, in the lower levels of houses, especially basements, where it becomes a major health concern. Radon gas is dangerous because it is radioactive as well, producing alpha particles--fast-traveling helium nuclei that consist of two neutrons and two protons--as it decays to polonium. Alpha particles do not hurt you if they contact you externally because they cannot penetrate skin. But if you inhale the gas, the particles come into contact with sensitive lung tissue and cause damage to the deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, in your cells, potentially causing cancer.
Cancer Therapy
While inhalation of radon causes an increased lung cancer risk, it can also be used to treat cancerous tumors. In a process called radon seeding, doctors surgically insert small glass or gold tubes filled with radioactive radon gas into the tumors of cancer patients. The concentrated radioactivity kills the cancer cells that make up the tumor, but spares surrounding healthy tissue, since the alpha particles cannot travel outside of the boundaries of the tumor. Radon seeding is not a perfect cancer treatment: It cannot treat cancer that has metastasized beyond the the tumor stage, and in some cases it reportedly has been associated with causing secondary tumors.
References
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: The Therapeutic use of Radon: A Biomedical Treatment in Europe; An "Alternative" Remedy in the United States
- Pub Med: Long-term efficacy of radon spa therapy in rheumatoid arthritis--a randomized, sham-controlled study and follow-up
- Environmental Protection Agency: Radon
- Medical Dictionary: Radon Seeds
- Acta Oncologica: Incidence of Second Cancers After Radon Seed Therapy for Cervix Cancer
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