Principles and Clinical Applications of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is an advanced radiation therapy technique that is rapidly developing in the field of cancer treatment. This technique, an atomic-level binary targeted therapy, kills cancer cells by causing a ¹⁰B(n, α)⁷Li nuclear reaction within the cancer cells, and its clinical implementation requires professional technology and device support. The core elements of BNCT include appropriate neutron sources and neutron capture drugs. Compared with traditional radiotherapy techniques, BNCT shows outstanding advantages in treating locally recurrent tumors, such as central nervous system tumors and head and neck tumors. Furthermore, it can better protect normal organs, especially for tumors that have already significantly invaded surrounding organs, demonstrating its promising future prospects. This article mainly elaborates on the technical principles, core elements, and clinical applications of BNCT, in hope of providing reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.