Boron neutron capture therapy of cancers: principles and recent research progress / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a new method for the precise treatment of cancers.By this method, cancer cells can be selectively killed by α particles and recoiling 7Li nuclei generated by the nuclear fission reaction occurring when the 10B isotope atoms in cancer cells capture thermal neutrons.The key to a successful BNCT is to deliver sufficient 10B into the cancer cells.The purpose of this review is to introduce the principles of BNCT and review recent progress in the development of neutron sources and boron delivery agents, as well as the result of BNCT clinical trials.