Which classification includes radiation-induced cancer?

Radiation-induced cancer falls under the classification of stochastic effects. Stochastic effects refer to health effects that occur by chance and are typically associated with low doses of radiation over long periods. The hallmark of stochastic effects is that the probability of the effect occurring—such as cancer—varies with the dose of radiation, but the severity of the effect does not. This means that any exposure to radiation, regardless of how small, could potentially lead to the development of cancer over a long time, although the likelihood increases with higher exposures.

In contrast, deterministic effects are those that have a clear threshold and increase in severity with greater doses of radiation, such as skin burns or radiation sickness; these do not apply to radiation-induced cancer. Acute effects are immediate reactions that occur shortly after exposure, while chronic effects pertain to long-term health consequences but do not specifically describe the probabilistic nature of cancer development related to radiation exposure. Thus, the classification of radiation-induced cancer is best understood within the stochastic category.