Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2022 Mar 31:12:788770.
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.788770. eCollection 2022.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy: Current Status and Challenges

Song Wang  1   2 , Zhengchao Zhang  1   2 , Lele Miao  1   2 , Yumin Li  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy: Current Status and Challenges

Song Wang et al. Front Oncol. .

Abstract

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a re-emerging therapy with the ability to selectively kill tumor cells. After the boron delivery agents enter the tumor tissue and enrich the tumor cells, the thermal neutrons trigger the fission of the boron atoms, leading to the release of boron atoms and then leading to the release of the α particles (4He) and recoil lithium particles (7Li), along with the production of large amounts of energy in the narrow region. With the advantages of targeted therapy and low toxicity, BNCT has become a unique method in the field of radiotherapy. Since the beginning of the last century, BNCT has been emerging worldwide and gradually developed into a technology for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, head and neck cancer, malignant melanoma, and other cancers. At present, how to develop and innovate more efficient boron delivery agents and establish a more accurate boron-dose measurement system have become the problem faced by the development of BNCT. We discuss the use of boron delivery agents over the past several decades and the corresponding clinical trials and preclinical outcomes. Furthermore, the discussion brings recommendations on the future of boron delivery agents and this therapy.

Keywords: boron delivery agent; boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT); radiation; thermal neutron; tumor.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) The nuclear reaction of boron atom, the dominant of which is accompanied by the production of high-energy rays. (B) Mechanism of boron neutron capture therapy. (C) Schematic diagram of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) selective killer tumor cells.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Structures of several 10B delivery agents, including carboranes and carboranes (39, 55, 56) that are conjugated to nucleosides (–59), porphyrins (60), amino acids (11, 61, 62), and peptides (63).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Kageji T, Nagahiro S, Mizobuchi Y, Matsuzaki K, Nakagawa Y, Kumada H. Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) for Newly-Diagnosed Glioblastoma: Comparison of Clinical Results Obtained With BNCT and Conventional Treatment. J Med Invest (2014) 61:254–63. doi: 10.2152/jmi.61.254 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Moss RL. Critical Review, With an Optimistic Outlook, on Boron Neutron Capture Therapy 385 (BNCT). Appl Radiat Isot (2014) 88:2–11. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2013.11.109 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Suzuki M. Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT): A Unique Role in Radiotherapy With a View to Entering the Accelerator-Based BNCT Era. Int J Clin Oncol (2020) 25:43–50. doi: 10.1007/s10147-388019-01480-4 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Maruyama K, Ishida O, Kasaoka S, Takizawa T, Utoguchi N, Shinohara A, et al. . Intracellular Targeting of Sodium Mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate (BSH) to Solid Tumors by Transferrin-PEG Liposomes, for Boron Neutron-Capture Therapy (BNCT). J Control Release (2004) 98:195–207. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2004.04.018 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Lan TL, Chou FI, Lin KH, Pan PS, Lee JC, Huang WS, et al. . Using Salvage Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) for Recurrent Malignant Brain Tumors in Taiwan. Appl Radiat Isotopes (2020) 160. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109105 - DOI - PubMed