The danger of cancer caused by acute radiation exposure is clearly less than the danger presented by the short-term acute radiation effects discussed previously in this unit.

Low-level radiation exposure, although also widely thought of as a cause of cancer, is an even less potent cancer-causing agent. Measurable increases in cancer rates are not observed but are generally assumed to exist due to the known cancer causing effect of the much higher, acute doses.

When responding to radiological accidents such as most transportation accidents or a nuclear power plant accident, it will be this assumed low-level radiation exposure risk that will be a factor.