Lung cancer is a heterogeneous group of diseases with multifactorial aetiology. Smoking has been undeniably recognized as the main aetiological factor in lung cancer, but it should be emphasized that it is not the only factor. It is worth noting that a number of nonsmokers also develop this disease. Radon exposure is the second greatest risk factor for lung cancer among smokers—after smoking—and the first one for nonsmokers. The knowledge about this element amongst specialist oncologists and pulmonologists seems to be very superficial. We discuss the impact of radon on human health, with particular emphasis on respiratory diseases, including lung cancer. A better understanding of the problem will increase the chance of reducing the impact of radon exposure on public health and may contribute to more effective prevention of a number of lung diseases.

Atmospheric pollution suspended in humid air is popularly known as 'smog'. It is composed of dust particles of different sizes, as well as non-metal oxides, organic compounds, and heavy metals. Exposure to harmful substances suspended in the air - apart from, for example - smoking cigarettes, one of the modifiable factors leading to the development of respiratory diseases. There are six types of substances present in the air that have a negative impact on public health and result in significant consequences: ozone, particulate matter (PM) of different diameters - PM2.5µ, PM2.5‒10 µ, PM10 µ, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and lead. Particular attention is given to small dust particles (PM10 and PM2.5) because they can penetrate into the lower respiratory tract. Apart from describing the composition of smog and sources of air pollution, the article also discusses the impact of atmospheric pollutants on both development and aggravation of the symptoms of such respiratory tract diseases as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, respiratory infections and lung cancer. Some of legal measures applied in different countries aimed at reducing exposure to noxious air pollutants are reviewed. The authors believe that the increased focus on risks arising from inhaling toxic air pollution may be a first step for developing systemic solutions aimed at resolving or, at least, decreasing those risks.

Exposure to radon is the second most common factor causing lung cancer in smokers and the first among non-smokers. We aimed to measure the impact of the radon exposure on patients with different histological types of advanced lung cancer. The measurement of radon exposure was performed in 102 patients with lung cancer in stage 3B or higher (Poland). There were 78.4% of patients with non-small cell carcinoma and 21.6% of patients with small cell carcinoma. One month radon exposure measurement was performed with trace detectors in order to control whether high radon concentrations (>800 Bq/m³) were found in the homes of patients with cancer diagnosed. Results of the determinations were then compared with the representation of the most common types of lung cancer in the study population. In the analyzed group, the average concentration of radon during the exposure of the detector in the residential premises of the respondents accounted for 69.0 Bq/m³ [37.0–117.0] and had no statistically significant effect on the type of lung cancer developed in patients. The lack of statistical significance may result from the small study group and the accompanying exposure to other harmful components. As the incidence of lung adenocarcinoma is increasing and exposure to tobacco smoke is decreasing, the search for other modifiable causes of lung cancer should be the task in the future.

IgA-associated vasculitis (IgAV) known as Henoch - Schönlein purpura (HSP) disease is an inflammatory disorder of small blood vessels. It’s the most common type of systemic vasculitis in children which can be associated with the inflammatory process following infections. IgA vasculitis is a rare and poorly understood systemic vasculitis in adults. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with HSP in both adults and children. A 58-year-old woman was diagnosed with HSP, fulfilling the clinical criteria: palpable purpura, arthritis, hematuria. The disclosure of the HSP disease was preceded by a infection of the respiratory tract. COVID-19 infection was confirmed via the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies. This case indicates the possible role of SARS-CoV-2 in the development of HSP. The clinical course of IgAV in adults appears to be different from pediatric IgAV, especially due to higher risk of renal complications. Symptoms of the disease quickly resolved with low-dose of steroids.

Although there are undeniable advantages of treatment of the inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohns disease, and ulcerative colitis, with biological agents, the increased susceptibility to tuberculosis should not be ignored. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex which includes M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, and M. africanum. Primary tuberculosis is uncommon in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease: reactivation of latent tuberculosis is of greater concern. Consequently, latent infection should be excluded in patients who qualify for immunosuppressive treatments. Apart from the review of the literature, this article also presents three cases of different patterns of tuberculosis that occurred during treatment with infliximab, adalimumab, or vedolizumab. The first case reports a case of tuberculosis presenting as right middle lobe pneumonia. The second case featured miliary tuberculosis of the lungs with involvement of the mediastinal lymph nodes, liver, and spleen. The third patient developed a tuberculoma of the right parietal lobe and tuberculous meningitis. It is important to reiterate that every patient qualifying for a biologic agent should undergo testing to accurately identify latent tuberculosis, as well as precise monitoring for the possible development of one of the various forms or patterns of tuberculosis during treatment.

Introduction and objective: Smog, which contains fine dusts, non-metal oxides, metals and organic compounds can have irritating, allergenic and immunomodulatory effects leading to the development of respiratory diseases and their exacerbations. The aim of the study was to search for a...