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Long-term tracking of nearly 160,000 people from across the United States suggests that brain cancer risk rises as exposure to radon increases.

The study led by Oregon State University scientists provides a look at the possible connection between radon, a known lung carcinogen, and cancers in other parts of the body.

Published in Neuroepidemiology, the research featured a cohort more than double the size of the only previous examination of radon's potential link to central nervous system cancers, a 2013 study involving people in Denmark that produced similar findings.

The American study, led by OSU College of Health epidemiologist Matthew Bozigar and graduate student Carson Mowrer, used a geologically, geographically and environmentally diverse population to expand on the Danish research.

The cohort of 159,391 participants came from the Women's Health Initiative, a project that explores ways to prevent heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer in postmenopausal women.

"Absolute risks of malignant central nervous system cancers rose with higher radon concentration across all metrics," Bozigar said.

Radon, a naturally occurring gas, is a product of the radioactive decay of uranium, which is present in certain rocks and soils. Upon escaping from the ground, radon itself decays and emits radioactive particles that can enter the body and collect in tissues, causing DNA damage that can lead to cancer.

Odorless, tasteless and colorless, radon dilutes quickly in open air and is generally harmless before it decays, but indoors or in areas with poor air exchange, it can easily concentrate and is recognized as a significant risk factor for lung cancer.

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