Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Samario 153
Samarium 153 (suh-MAYR-ee-um )
A radioactive substance used in the treatment of bone cancer and bone metastases (cancers that have spread from the original tumor to the bone). Samarium 153 is a radioactive form of the element samarium. It collects in bone, where it releases radiation that may kill cancer cells. It is a type of radioisotope.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.