radium

Radium is a radioactive element discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898, initially used in medicine for its ability to destroy diseased cells with ionizing radiation. It was employed both directly—applied as radium salts or incorporated into sealed tubes for contact with tissues—and indirectly, through its decay product radon, for various forms of therapy. Mechanistically, radium works by emitting alpha, beta, and gamma radiation, which damages cellular DNA, leading to cell death; this effect was harnessed to treat cancers (especially skin, prostate, and gynecologic cancers) and various non-malignant conditions such as lupus, arthritis, gout, and tuberculosis. Early medical enthusiasm led to widespread, often unregulated use in consumer products and quack medicines; the significant risks (including radiation poisoning, bone fractures, anemia, and increased cancer risk) led to its abandonment for most medical purposes by the mid-20th century in favor of safer radioactive isotopes.

Other names

radium chlorideradium salts