A Review of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy: Its History and Current Challenges.

ABSTRACT:

Mechanism of action

External beam, whether with photons or particles, remains as the most common type of radiation therapy. The main drawback is that radiation deposits dose in healthy tissue before reaching its target. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is based on the nuclear capture and fission reactions that occur when ¹⁰B is irradiated with low-energy (0.0025 eV) thermal neutrons. The resulting ¹⁰B(n,α)⁷Li capture reaction produces high linear energy transfer (LET) α particles, helium nuclei (⁴He), and recoiling lithium-7 (⁷Li) atoms. The short range (5-9 μm) of the α particles limits the destructive effects within the boron-containing cells. In theory, BNCT can selectively destroy malignant cells while sparing adjacent

SUBMITTER: Jin WH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9238127 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature