Identify one long-term health effect of exposure to radiation.

Exposure to radiation is known to have various long-term health effects, with thyroid cancer being one of the most significant and well-documented outcomes. The thyroid gland is particularly sensitive to the effects of ionizing radiation, especially during periods of growth, such as childhood. When individuals are exposed to radioactive isotopes, such as iodine-131, there is an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer later in life due to the damaging effects of radiation on the DNA of thyroid cells.

This has been observed in various exposure scenarios, such as survivors of atomic bombings and individuals who have received radiation therapy for other medical conditions. The relationship between radiation exposure and thyroid cancer is substantiated by numerous epidemiological studies that cite a clear association between the amount of radiation exposure and the risk of developing this type of cancer.