Canadian researchers need 10,000 fingernails to study lung cancer risk

 

 

Canadian researchers need 10,000 fingernails to study lung cancer risk.
Scientists at the University of Calgary said they are looking for toenail clippings to study radon exposure and lung cancer risk.

They say that by testing the levels of certain radioactive isotopes in toenails, they can determine how much exposure a person has had over the long term. Radon gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless and occurs naturally in nature. Our toenails contain information about our long-term exposure to radioactive toxins like radon gas. They are also a repository of past exposures, said lead researcher and university professor Aaron Goodarsi.

The national study, which aims to develop standards for lung cancer screening, hopes to recruit 10,000 people across Canada, have their homes tested for radon levels, and collect and send toenails for analysis, Goodarsi added.