Translational Research on BNCT for Clinical Application

Background and Objective Using Kyoto University Research Reactor (KUR), patients with malignant tumors greater than 500 have been treated with boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Malignant brain tumors and head and neck cancers have been main malignancies treated with BNCT. Our laboratory (Division of Particle Radiation Oncology) has investigated the possibilities for new applications for BNCT. According to promising results in pre-clinical study, we have already treated some patients with liver cancers with BNCT and carried out clinical study on phase I study on BNCT for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Promising clinical results of BNCT using the research reactor encouraged us to go to further stage of BCNT using an accelerator-based (AB) BNCT system. Co-operation of Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute and Sumitomo Heavy Industry have developed AB BNCT system with compact cyclotron as an accelerator. In 2012 and 2014, clinical studies on BNCT for recurrent malignant brain tumors and head and neck tumors to get an approval as a medical device from the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), a Japanese regulatory agency. In a transition period from reactor-based (RB) BNCT into AB-based BNCT, many research issues should be dissolved from impending and long-term viewpoints. Main objectives of our project is to dissolve many impending clinical issues to perform BNCT safely in AB-BNCT system and to investigate many research projects for many patients with cancer to be treated with AB-BNCT system.