According to a new Finnish study, most head-and-neck cancers that recur locally after prior full-dose conventional radiation therapy respond to Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT).

This research was led by Heikki Joensuu at the Helsinki University Hospital. According to the researchers, this work opens up a new field of use for BNCT, which has been evaluated only for the treatment of brain tumors.


BNCT is a form of targeted radiation treatment and is considered experimental. A boron-containing compound is infused into a peripheral vein and accumulates in the cancer. The cancer is then irradiated with neutrons from a nuclear reactor, causing the boron to split as a result of neutron capture. This releases radiation which can then destroy cancer cells.


The main source for this article is TheCancerBlog