Full Analysis of Lung Cancer Mortality/Radon Relationship with Simple Nonlinear Concepts

We analyze the relationship between the lung cancer mortality and the indoor radon intensity from the viewpoint of nonlinear mathematics. We conclude that their relationship is governed by the proportionality law where the cumulative lung cancer mortality Y is negatively proportional to the cumulative radon intensity X; or specifically, the nonlinear change of nonlinear face value (qYu – qY) is negatively proportional to the nonlinear change of nonlinear face value (X – Xb). The author obtained a set of data from late Professor Cohen on the lung-cancer mortality rate versus indoor radon level collected from 1,597 counties and territory of the USA. We initially presented the data as various primitive elementary graphs; then extended them to the primary graphs, leading graphs, and the proportionality graphs. The article emphasizes the building of a straight-line proportionality relationship for the dose-response data in a log-linear and/or log-log graphs. It demonstrates a straightforward methodology for solving the key upper asymptotes (Yu) for the proportionality equation using the Microsoft Excel via determining the “coefficient of determination”. (Note: q = log, Yu = upper asymptote of Y, Xb = bottom asymptote of X)