the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today, especially small cell lung cancer. All types of lung cancer occur with increased frequency in Radon exposure, but SCLC is the most common. The incidence of lung cancer is increased further in these individuals if they also smoke tobacco."----From Medscape
Radon is estimated to cause thousands of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year.
Overview
You can't see radon. And you can't smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home.
Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths.
If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.
Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in schools.
Testing is inexpensive and easy — it should only take a few minutes of your time. Millions of Americans have already tested their homes for radon (see How to Test Your Home).
Radon reduction systems work and they are not too costly. Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.
The above information is from From: http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html#overview