STUDIES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A METHODOLOGY FOR STUDYING THE RADON X SMOKING INTERACTION AS A TRIGGER FACTOR IN THE OCCURRENCE OF BRONCHOPULMONARY CANCER

Objectives. Residential exposure to radon is the second risk factor for lung cancer triggering for smokers and the first – for non-smokers. The obtaining reliable result in this area requires large-scale epidemiological scientific studies with the appropriate patient samples, but the results of some studies are controversial. The synthetic analysis of the specialized literature served as a basis for the methodology development to study the interaction of radon x smoking as a trigger factor in the occurrence of lung cancer at smokers in the Republic of Moldova.

Material and methods. Global experience on the methodology for studying the interaction radon x smoking was examined about 30 publications on platforms of ResearchGate, Pubmed, BioMedCentral, RSCI, European Commission Webgate, WHO, AIEA, etc. A descriptive synthesis of current approaches to the development and implementation of research methods for studying the radon x smoking interaction on the triggering of bronchopulmonary cancer was performed.

Results. A few researches have focused on the study of the effect of synergic exposure of radon/smoke on the occurrence of lung cancer. A review showed that the main methods for studying this phenomenon are case-control and sociological. Combining the studied approaches and basing on the experience of international research, the methodology for estimating the interaction of radon x smoking on triggering the bronchopulmonary cancer was developed. Two directions are proposed in the research methods: (1) statistical with the use of smokers' data in the Republic of Moldova, radon concentration in dwellings and morbidity/mortality indices and (2) "case-control" with the use of the long-term study questionnaire in collaboration with the Institute of Oncology.

Conclusions. The development of a methodological approach to the study of the radon x smoking interaction on the occurrence of bronchopulmonary cancer will allow the Public Health System to develop tools to control/prevent/reduce this disease.