Late Somatic Effects of Radiation

Regardless of the radiation dose, there is always a risk of stochastic effects. Radiation exposure increases the likelihood of developing cancer by modifying DNA. Most radiation-induced malignancies emerge approximately ten years post-exposure. However, radiation does not create entirely new cancers but rather elevates the probability of additional malignancies within the exposed population. Notably, children have twice the risk of experiencing late somatic effects compared to adults.^2,5,6,8,11