Model development for estimating effects of boron neutron capture therapy

Radiation biology research communications

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a radiation therapy that enables selective eradication of tumors by short-range α-particles and Li ions generated through the nuclear reaction between thermal neutron and 10B within tumor cells. With the development of the accelerator-based neutron source in recent decades, it is expected that BNCT will be available in many medical facilities worldwide in the future. BNCT irradiation requires a relatively long dose-delivery time after applying boron drugs to tumor cells via intravenous injection. During this period, it is suspected that the boron drug is heterogeneously accepted by cells and its concentration changes continuously, leading to the modification of curative effects from pharmacological and biological viewpoints. However, the model development for precisely predicting curative effects after BNCT irradiation is still ongoing. Here, we introduce the forefront of model development for accurately estimating effects during BNCT irradiation.