Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) | Precision Cancer Treatment Solution

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BNCT療法

BNCT

Boron Neutron
Capture Therapy

In Taiwan, cancer (malignant tumors) has been the first of the top ten causes of death in the past 40 years. With the advancement of medical technology, some cancers are no longer incurable. The development of new therapies such as targeted drugs, immunotherapy and various radiation therapies has saved many patients.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is not an emerging treatment. It has been developed for more than 70 years since it was first applied to clinical in the United States in the 1950s. In recent years, there have been advances in various particle accelerators and boron-containing drugs. Countries around the world have sprung up to study BNCT. In addition to Japan's first successful approval of BNCT, the most notable is the clinical results and future development of BNCT in Taiwan.

BNCT Mechanism

The ratio of BPA uptake in tumors and normal tissues is 2 to 4 times.

Boron-containing drugs (e.g. BPA) are selectively accumulated in cancer cells.

•The structure of BPA is similar with the phenylalanine, an essential amino acid, which will extensively be taken by cancer cells.
Compared with photons, in terms of CBE, the lethality of BPA-absorbed neutrons to tumors is about 3 times higher than normal tissues.

After entering the body, super-thermal neutrons will decelerate into low-energy thermal neutrons and react with ¹⁰B to produce α and Li particles, which release energy and cause apoptosis of cancer cells by DNA double strand breaks at a distance smaller than the diameter of the cell.
During radiation therapy, tumors receive about 9 times the boron dose than normal tissues.

The ratio of boron dose in tumer cell and normal tissue is 9 times. If background dose is taken into account, the dose ratio between tumor and normal tissue is generally more than 5 times. Therefore, it has less impact on normal cells.

Features of BNCT

Targeted
Efficacy Predictable
Safety
Suit for diffuse tumors
Short-Term Therapy

Evolution of BNCT

Now

1936s

The BNCT concept is proposed by G. L. Locher.
Proposed the application of boron-neutron capture reaction in tumor therapy.

1950s

Early reactor-based human clinical trials of BNCT are conducted in the United States.
Therapeutic efficacy is limited due to constraints in boron drugs and neutron sources.

1980s

Development of boron-containing drugs: BSH and BPA.
BPA gradually becomes the mainstream drug for clinical use.
Development of clinically applicable thermal and epithermal neutron beams.

2010s

Accelerator-based BNCT (ABNCT) technology matures, replacing nuclear reactors.
Japan spearheads accelerator-based BNCT clinical trials and commercialization.

2020s

Japan approves the world's first medical regulatory clearance for BNCT treatment.
BNCT enters the stage of commercialization and active clinical application.
Global acceleration of deployment spans multiple regions, including the US, Japan, Europe, and Asia.

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