Radiofarmaceuticals are a special type of medicine that use radioactive substances to diagnose or treat diseases, especially cancer. But their story begins more than 100 years ago – with a surprising discovery.
In 1896, the French scientist Henri Becquerel accidentally found that uranium could emit invisible rays. A few years later, Marie Curie continued this research and discovered new radioactive elements, such as polonium and radium.
At first, scientists did not know how dangerous radiation was. Marie Curie and her colleagues worked without protection, and over time, many of them became seriously ill. However, they also noticed something important: radiation could destroy living cells.
This observation led to a breakthrough. Doctors realised that radiation could be used to kill cancer cells, which grow and divide very quickly. Early treatments used radium placed directly on tumours – this was the beginning of radiation therapy.
Authors: Marko Krošelj, Martina Perše
Pictures: AI created
