The formulation of polyhedral boranes for the boron neutron capture therapy of cancer

Abstract

The early promise of boron neutron capture therapy as a method for the treatment of cancer has been inhibited by the inherent toxicity associated with therapeutically useful doses of ¹⁰B-containing pharmacophores, the need for target-tissue specificity and the challenges imposed by biological barriers. Although developments in the synthetic chemistry of polyhedral boranes have addressed issues of toxicity to a considerable extent, the optimisation of the transport and the delivery of boronated agents to the site of action--the subject of this review--is a challenge that is addressed by the development of innovative formulation strategies.