Boron Neutron Capture Therapy - An Overview

The 10B isotope is used in pharmaceuticals as an emerging binary therapy called boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). BNCT is an investigational form of a two-part radiation therapy which has the potential ability to selectively kill tumor cells embedded within normal tissue. In BNCT, a 10Boron -containing compound that preferentially concentrates in tumor sites is administered intravenously to the patient. It is based on the ability of the non-radioactive isotope 10B to capture thermal neutrons to yield two highly energetic 4He and 7Li nuclei. Both 10B and 4He nuclei have a very short range (about one cellular diameter) and cause significant damage to the tumor cell, while largely sparing healthy tissue cell. A variety of low molecular weight and high molecular weight compounds as boron delivery agents have been developed and are being tested in vitro and in vivo in BNCT.