Radiopharmaceuticals
Radiation therapy given in liquid or pill form.
What are radioactive pharmaceuticals?
Radioactive pharmaceuticals are unsealed radiation sources usually given in a liquid or pill form to treat some types of cancer. Examples include Iodine 131 to treat thyroid cancer, Samarium 153 (Quadramet) to treat cancer that has spread to the bone (bone metastases), and Zevalin (ibritumomab tiuxetan) used to treat certain lymphomas.
How does it work?
The radioactive materials used in radiopharmaceuticals are specifically designed to travel through the body, seek out the cancerous cells, or collect at the cancerous site. The radiation is then released at the targeted area.
Radiopharmaceuticals can be injected into the body, given in the vein (IV) or taken orally.