Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
Stage four lung cancer came as a shock
An avid mountain biker, trail runner, and skier, Park City native Bill Johnson was shoveling snow when he felt a sharp pain in his back. When the pain didn't go away, he started physical therapy and pain management until one day, the pain overcame him.
"My back seized, and I was rushed to the ER, and that's when actual scans took place, and they found [the cancer] originated in the lung and metastasized all the way through my spine and hips and into my brain." The doctor described Johnson's cancer as "wildly metastatic."
"It came as a shock to me to get diagnosed with stage four lung cancer that had metastasized throughout my body," Johnson explained. His diagnosis didn't make sense. He didn't smoke. He ate a healthy diet and exercised regularly.
Isn't lung cancer a smoker's disease?
Even though Utah has the lowest smoking rate in the U.S., Dr. Wallace Akerley, a medical oncologist with the Huntsman Cancer Institute, reported, "The number one cause of cancer death in the state of Utah, despite the fact that we smoke less than anybody else, is still lung cancer." Half of Akerley's lung cancer patients are non-smokers, so he's used to being asked how they could receive a seemingly impossible diagnosis.
Akerley explained that radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause among smokers. One of the first questions Akerley asks his patients is, 'Have you tested your home for radon?' Most of his patients say they've never heard of radon before, or if they have, they didn't know it could cause lung cancer.
I have to think about my boys growing up without their father because of something that is completely preventable.
–Bill Johnson, Stage four non-smoking lung cancer patient
Utah's radioactive landscape
Utah's uranium-rich landscape has made it the third-largest uranium-producing state in the U.S. While this may benefit the economy, it presents a critical problem for Utah residents. This is because uranium decays into radioactive radon gas. It rises into the air, concentrates indoors, and can cause lung cancer when someone is exposed for a prolonged period.
Radon claims an estimated 21,000 American lives per year, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality estimates that one in three Utah homes has dangerous radon levels. Akerly said there's simply not enough awareness about radon and how harmful it can be.
A cancer that mimics other diseases
"[Lung cancer] can mimic almost any disease," warns Akerley. Although it starts in the lungs, it's not uncommon for people to have a delayed diagnosis with symptoms as minor as a cough or back pain.
"Some cancers have rules that go to bones, others go to the brain…The rule for lung cancer is there are no rules. It just can do what any cancer can do and it does it, unfortunately, more effectively than others. Akerley said it's essential to pay attention to any changes in your body, such as a persistent cough, and be proactive with your health."
Living with a preventable cancer
Like carbon monoxide, radon is odorless and colorless, so the only way to detect it is to test for it. After his diagnosis, Johnson tested his home for radon. "I had high radon levels in my first level office, where I spent working from home for about fourteen years." Radon can be significantly reduced by installing a radon mitigation system. These systems are permanently installed in the home and typically cost between $1,800-2,300.
Johnson's journey since his diagnosis has been gut-wrenching. "I have to think about my boys growing up without their father because of something that is completely preventable. It's a morbid existence at times."
A plea to all Utah residents
Johnson is pleading with all Utah residents to test for radon. "The key is to test. I'm really just trying to reach our community as a whole to be more proactive about testing."
Additionally, Akerley pointed out that radon tends to be the highest in the winter, so now is a good time to test. "I would recommend that people consider testing now," Akerley suggested.
UtahRadon.org is offering one free radon test kit per household. To get your kit, fill out the form at UtahRadon.org. If your home tests high for radon, you can have a radon mitigation system installed to reduce the radon to a safer level.
