| Used to treat pain when cancer has spread to the bone. Samarium-153 is injected into a vein and distributes throughout the
body. Samarium-153 EDTMP homes in on areas where cancer has invaded the bone. Once there, the radioisotope emits beta particles
(electrons) which kill the nearby cancer cells. Pain begins to improve in the first week for most people and the effects can
last several months. It is commonly used in lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and osteosarcoma. Side effects result
from radiation to the bone marrow and include thrombocytopenia and leukopenia.
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Samarium-153-ethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonate