Boron Neutron Capture Therapy in the Treatment of Locally Recurred Head-and-Neck Cancer: Final Analysis of a Phase I/II Trial

Clinical potential of boron neutron capture therapy for locally recurrent inoperable previously irradiated head and neck cancer

“…Re-irradiation utilizing alternate techniques that can deliver a high tumouricidal dose while limiting normal tissue exposure has potential, and in this context, Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) has also been explored. The first registered Phase II trial addressing the use of BNCT in Head and Neck Cancer (Kankaanranta et al, 2007(Kankaanranta et al, , , 2012 showed that it is effective in managing patients with LRHNC, but to date no studies have compared its potential to systemic therapy. This review aims to assess the clinical potential of BNCT in comparison to systemic therapies alone, systemic and radiation therapies and radiation therapy alone and thereby make observations on its potential for the improved management of these patients.…”

Therapeutic efficacy of boron neutron capture therapy mediated by boron-rich liposomes for oral cancer in the hamster cheek pouch model

“…The high linear energy transfer (LET) α-particles and recoiling 7 Li nuclei emitted during the neutron capture reaction have a range of 5-9 μm in tissue (approximately the diameter of one cell) and are known to have a high relative biological effectiveness (1). In this way, BNCT will selectively target tumor tissue while sparing normal tissue.…”

“…In addition, because BNCT involves biochemical rather than geometric targeting, it is ideally suited to treat infiltrating tumor cells, undetectable micrometastases (2), and the foci of malignant transformation in field-cancerized tissue (3). Clinical trials of BNCT for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme and/or melanoma and, more recently, head and neck tumors and liver metastases, using boronophenylalanine (BPA) or sodium mercaptoundecahydrododecaborane as the 10 B carriers, have been performed or are under way in Argentina, Europe, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States (4)(5)(6)(7)(8). These treatments have been marginally more effective than external-beam radiation therapy (9)(10)(11).…”

“…The requirements for successful BNCT are preferential accumulation and retention of a nontoxic 10 B carrier in a tumor, a sufficiently high absolute concentration of 10 B in tumor tissue (at least 20 ppm) for a sufficient number of 10 B(n,α) 7 Li reactions to occur, and targeting of all tumor cell populations (12)(13)(14). Furthermore, the microlocalization of 10 B also determines the therapeutic outcome of BNCT (15).…”

“…These should damage malignant cells selectively, sparing normal cells. Oral mucositis limits the radiation dose that can be administered with BNCT to head and neck and brain tumors (6,7). It is a frequent, dose-limiting side effect during conventional radiotherapy for advanced head and neck tumors.…”