Sm-153 is used to relieve bone pain in patients with multiple painful osteoblastic skeletal metastases (when cancer has spread to the bones). Osteoblastic metastases are a type of bone metastasis where new bone tissue grows rapidly. Sm-153 is only used in bone metastases that can take up a type of chemical called bisphosphonates, as this means that the metastases will also take up Sm-153. Before receiving Sm-153 patients should have a bone scan using bisphosphonates radiolabelled with technetium-99m [99mTc] as markers, to check that their metastases are of the type that Sm-153 can be used for.

The medicine can only be obtained with a prescription.