BNCT — Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

BNCT (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) is an advanced two-step radiotherapy technique. Step 1: a boron-containing compound is administered intravenously — boron preferentially accumulates in tumour cells due to their higher metabolic activity. Step 2: a beam of thermal or epithermal neutrons is directed at the tumour region — the neutrons are captured by boron in a fission reaction that releases alpha particles and lithium-7 ions directly inside the cancer cell, destroying it at the cellular level. The key advantage is the ability to eliminate scattered cancer cells without precisely mapping every individual cell. BNCT is under clinical investigation and application in Japan, China and several other Asian countries. Educational content only.