Neuboron (China)

BackgroundPrecise modeling of boron distribution is essential for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) dose calculation. While full-three-dimensional (f3D) voxel modeling of ¹⁸F-BPA PET data offers high spatial resolution, its clinical value is limited by intrinsic image resolution—especially PET—and by registration errors in multi-modality image fusion. These factors constrain the reliability of voxel-level dose interpretation and increase computational burden. We propose a hypo-segmentation (hS) method that groups target tissue-to-blood ratio (TBR) values into 0.5-unit intervals to approximate boron distribution. This study retrospectively evaluated four malignant brain tumor cases, comparing dosimetric metrics derived from hS and f3D approaches. Key dose-volume parameters (Dmean, D80, V14 Gy−Eq), spatial agreement (gamma pass rate), and dose–volume curve similarity (dynamic time warping, DTW) were assessed. Dose consistency in normal brain tissue was also evaluated using D0.1 cc, Dmean, and V13 Gy−Eq.ResultsThe hS method showed strong agreement with f3D results: within 2% for tumor Dmean, 3% for D80, and 5% for V14 Gy−Eq. Gamma pass rates exceeded 90% in three of four cases. In brain tissue, dose deviations between hS and f3D remained within 2%, demonstrating reliability even in low-uptake, spatially uniform regions. A single small, heterogeneous tumor showed larger discrepancy (D95 deviation = 14.3%, gamma pass rate = 82%), which was mitigated by refining segmentation (h = 0.25).ConclusionsThe hS method offers a clinically practical and computationally efficient alternative to full voxel-wise modeling. It preserves dosimetric fidelity in both tumor and normal brain regions, while aligning with the intrinsic resolution of PET and multimodal imaging. This approach supports accurate yet streamlined BNCT dose planning, particularly in clinical settings where ultra-high spatial granularity provides limited added value.Trial registration number (TRN)ChiCTR2200066473, registered on December 16, 2022.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13550-025-01341-4.

Cancer remains a major health challenge, with the effectiveness of chemotherapy often limited by its lack of specificity and systemic toxicity. Nanotechnology, particularly in targeted drug delivery, has emerged as a key innovation to address these limitations. This study introduces lipoic acid-boronophenylalanine (LA-BPA) derivatives that incorporate short-chain polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a spacer. These derivatives distinctively self-assemble into vesicles under specific pH conditions, exhibiting a pH-dependent reversible assembly characteristic. Notably, these vesicles target cancer cells by binding to sialic acid via phenylboronic acid groups, subsequently depleting cellular glutathione and elevating reactive oxygen species, thereby inducing apoptosis via mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy. The vesicles demonstrate high efficiency in encapsulating doxorubicin, featuring a glutathione-responsive release mechanism, which present a promising option for tumor therapy. Additionally, the derivatives of the B-10 isotope, containing up to 1.6% boron, are engineered for incorporation into LPB-3-based vesicles. This design facilitates their application in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) alongside chemotherapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Our findings highlight the potential of LA-BPA derivatives in developing more precise, effective, and less detrimental chemoradiotherapy approaches, marking an advancement in nanomedicine for cancer treatment.

THz radiation is increasingly used for diagnostics in medicine. As technology utilizing THz radiation continues to develop rapidly, it is becoming increasingly important to consider its biological effects and establish safe exposure standards and parameters. The paper presents data on the clinical status and functional properties of the anterior and posterior structures of the eyes of rabbits after THz irradiation at the frequency of 2.3 THz. Terahertz radiation was generated at Novosibirsk Free Electron Laser (NovoFEL) at "Siberian Synchrotron and Terahertz Radiation Centre" (Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia). The exposure durations used were 15 and 30 minutes. Intensity ranges were I1=0.012 mW/cm2, I2=0.018 mW/cm2, and I3=0.024 mW/cm2. The study investigated the effects of various time and power irradiation protocols on the California rabbit's eyes and after a period of one month, but no significant clinical or functional alterations were observed in response to the established intensity protocols. However, the study identified statistically significant changes in corneal hydration and endothelial cell density over time, particularly under protocols with 15- and 30-minute exposures. A negative correlation was found between endothelial cell density and corneal thickness (r=-0.36, p=0.042), suggesting that a reduction in the endothelial cell pool may be associated with increased corneal thickness. These changes were subclinical and did not lead to clinically significant pathological changes in the cornea. There were no signs of ASOCT (anterior segment-optical coherence tomography) hyperreflectivity. THz radiation with parameters listed above of 2.3 THz and an intensities of 0.012-0.024 mW/cm2 for 30 minutes has been shown to be conditionally safe for the structures of the rabbit eye. However, the detected subclinical corneal changes require further study to determine safe exposure limits.

Silk fibroin nanoparticles can load high amounts of BSH. When treated in U87 cell lines, they show efficient boron uptake, demonstrating the feasibility of boron neutron capture therapy.

Abstract Heterogeneous boron concentration distribution is the primary determinant that must be considered in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) dose calculations. However, taking into account the slip in BNCT dose calculation and assessment come from fusion of different image modalities and the partial volume effect of image voxel differences, it is necessary to reduce these errors when building a highly realistic computational model in order to provide high-confidence dose results. This article uses hypo-segmented heterogeneous boron distribution dose calculation to apply to brain tumor and head and neck cancer cases to evaluate dose cold spots in tumor and hot spots in organs at risk. Using hyper-segmented boron distribution dose results as a reference benchmark to compare with hypo-segmentation results, the mean tumor dose difference between the two is within 1.6%, and the D80 difference is within 2.3%. Significant differences in maximum and minimum doses to the region of interest are expected between hyper- and hypo-segmentation methods, but the dose-volume histogram for both are close to each other. Then, post-BNCT follow-up images were compared with dose maps of hyper- and hypo-segmented boron distribution. The dose distribution echoes clinical response, indicating that the hypo-segmented boron distribution method has evaluation properties.

This study introduces the MKM_B model, an approach derived from the MKM model, designed to evaluate the biological effectiveness of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) in the face of challenges from varying microscopic boron distributions. The model introduces a boron compensation factor, allowing for the assessment of compound Biological Effectiveness (CBE) values for different boron distributions. Utilizing the TOPAS simulation platform, the lineal energy spectrum of particles in BNCT was simulated, and the sensitivity of the MKM_B model to parameter variations and the influence of cell size on the model were thoroughly investigated. The CBE values for 10B-boronphenylalanine (BPA) and 10B-sodium (BSH) were determined to be 3.70 and 1.75, respectively. These calculations were based on using the nucleus radius of 2.5 μm and the cell radius of 5 μm while considering a 50% surviving fraction. It was observed that as cell size decreased, the CBE values for both BPA and BSH increased. Additionally, the model parameter rd was identified as having the most significant impact on CBE, with other parameters showing moderate effects. The development of the MKM_B model enables the accurate prediction of CBE under different boron distributions in BNCT. This model offers a promising approach to optimize treatment planning by providing increased accuracy in biological effectiveness.

Abstract Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a promising therapy for refractory cancer based on the cytotoxic reaction of 10B (n, α) 7Li. Although two BNCT agents are clinically available, they are quickly metabolized and show modest enrichment in tumor sites, partially limiting BNCT widespread application. Consequently, novel agents that perform active targeting and show good biocompatibility have to be developed. Herein, boronophenylalanine‐containing polydopamine (B‐PDA) nanoparticles are easily fabricated by encapsulating boronophenylalanine (BPA) in polydopamine via nitrogen‐boronate coordination. In this study, B‐PDA achieves increased tumor accumulation and prolonged retention effects in the tumor site and superior antitumor activity post neutron irradiation in the orthotopic xenograft glioma model. In brief, this study offers a novel strategy for BPA delivery and may broaden the perspective on nanomedicine design for BNCT.