Late Somatic Effects of Radiation

Regardless of the radiation dose, there is always the risk of stochastic effects. In addition, radiation can cause cancer by modifying DNA. Most of these cancers appear ten years after exposure. It is important to note that radiation will not cause the development of new cancers. Instead, it will increase the risk of developing additional cancers in the population. It is of note that the risk of late somatic effects in children is twice that noted in adults.^2,5,6,8,11