Implications of radiation microdosimetry for accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy; A Radiobiological perspective

Fukunaga, Hisanori*; Matsuya, Yusuke; Tokuue, Koichi*; Omura, Motoko*

British Journal of Radiology, 93(1111), p.20200311_1 - 20200311_4, 2020/07

https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20200311

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has attracted attention as a selective treatment approach for cancer cells while sparing surrounding normal cells. The basic concept of BNCT was developed in the 1930s, but it has not yet been commonly popular in clinical practice, even though there is now a large number of experimental and translational studies demonstrating its marked therapeutic potential. With the development of neutron accelerators that can be installed in medical institutions, accelerator-based BNCT is expected to become available at several medical institutes around the world in the near future. In this commentary, from the point of view of microdosimetry, we discuss the biological effects of BNCT, especially the underlying mechanisms of cell responses. The recent development of new treatment methods that combine proton beam sources and BNCT technology is expected to contribute significantly improving the prognosis of cancer treatment in the near future. Therefore, radiobiologists in the field of BNCT and related techniques will have a significant role to play in creating synergy effects in clinical oncology.