TRANSBORO Project
New boron carriers for neutron capture therapy
Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italia - Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italia Exeris Bio SA, Lugano, Ticino, Svizzera - Brick42, Cadempino, Ticino, Svizzera
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General Information
General Information
Targeted therapies are a focus of cancer research today. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary therapy that exploits the properties of boron-10 to deliver a high dose of radiation specifically to cancer cells. In BNCT, a boron compound is administered to the patient that accumulates in the tumor cells, followed by the irradiation with a beam of low-energy neutrons, which are captured by boron nuclei through a nuclear reaction called “capture,” forming an excited boron-11 atom that releases alpha particles and Li ions, which are highly destructive to biological tissues at short range, selectively leading to the death of boron-containing cells.
Targeted therapies are a focus of cancer research today. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary therapy that exploits the properties of boron-10 to deliver a high dose of radiation specifically to cancer cells. In BNCT, a boron compound is administered to the patient that accumulates in the tumor cells, followed by the irradiation with a beam of low-energy neutrons, which are captured by boron nuclei through a nuclear reaction called “capture,” forming an excited boron-11 atom that releases alpha particles and Li ions, which are highly destructive to biological tissues at short range, selectively leading to the death of boron-containing cells.
BNCT has several potential advantages over other forms of cancer treatment in that the boron compound is selectively absorbed by the cancer cells and thus the radiation resulting from the capture is delivered to the cancer cells, minimizing damage to healthy tissues. Accelerators that produce low-energy neutron beams for BNCT are already available in Japan, China, Finland, and others are being installed and will soon support clinical trials and patient treatment.
BNCT has several potential advantages over other forms of cancer treatment in that the boron compound is selectively absorbed by the cancer cells and thus the radiation resulting from the capture is delivered to the cancer cells, minimizing damage to healthy tissues. Accelerators that produce low-energy neutron beams for BNCT are already available in Japan, China, Finland, and others are being installed and will soon support clinical trials and patient treatment.
One of the main challenges for BCNT today is the selective delivery of boron compounds to cancer cells, and new targeting systems are urgently needed, requiring close collaboration between chemists and biologists.
One of the main challenges for BCNT today is the selective delivery of boron compounds to cancer cells, and new targeting systems are urgently needed, requiring close collaboration between chemists and biologists.
The TRANSBORO project will focus on incorporating 10-B into small molecules and nanoparticles of natural origin to target the boron compound more selectively in cancer cells.
The TRANSBORO project will focus on incorporating 10-B into small molecules and nanoparticles of natural origin to target the boron compound more selectively in cancer cells.
HOW IT WORKS
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