Principles and history of neutron capture therapy

Neutron capture therapy (NCT) is a form of radiation therapy using nuclides having a high propensity for capturing thermal neutrons and reacting with a prompt nuclear reaction (i.e. disintegration). If these nuclides are introduced selectively into tumor cells it is theoretically possible to destroy the tumor and to spare the surrounding normal tissue. The principles of this modality were described in 1936. First clinical trials in the USA from 1951 to 1961 using 10B resulted in failure. Since 1968 patients suffering from glioblastoma have been successfully treated in Japan by NCT with 10B and since 1987 another Japanese group has treated melanoma using NCT. The Japanese experiences and recent advances in the evaluation of tumor-affinitive boron-containing drugs have spurred interest in NCT. This article presents some basic physical notions and a historic overview of NCT that emphasizes the well documented early trials as well as some recent developments. Problems which occurred in the past now demand special efforts for a better understanding of the effects of NCT before starting new clinical trials in the next few years.