In radiation biology, what does a "stochastic effect" refer to?

In radiation biology, a stochastic effect is one that occurs by chance, meaning that it is not guaranteed to happen and does not have a specific threshold of exposure. These effects are characterized by their likelihood of occurrence increasing with the dose of radiation received. This type of effect includes late effects such as cancer and genetic mutations, where the probability of developing these conditions rises as the amount of radiation exposure increases, but the severity or presence of the effect is not determined by the dose.

This is in contrast to deterministic effects, which are predictable health effects that occur after a certain threshold of exposure has been surpassed. Stochastic effects highlight the unpredictable nature of radiation exposure's impact on long-term health, emphasizing the importance of minimizing exposure even at low doses.