Assessing cancer risks of low-dose radiation.
Ionizing radiation is considered a non-threshold carcinogen. However, quantifying the risk of the more commonly encountered low and/or protracted radiation exposures remains problematic and subject to uncertainty. Therefore, a major challenge lies in providing a sound mechanistic understanding of low-dose radiation carcinogenesis. This Perspective article considers whether differences exist between the effects mediated by high- and low-dose radiation exposure and how this affects the assessment of low-dose cancer risk.
Mullenders
Leon
L
Department of Toxicogenetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden 2300RC, The Netherlands. L.Mullenders@lumc.nl
Atkinson
Mike
M
Paretzke
Herwig
H
Sabatier
Laure
L
Bouffler
Simon
S
D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000528:radiation effects