Effects of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy on the Growth of Subcutaneous Xenografts of Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma SW-620 in Immunodeficient Mice.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) can become an instrument for patients with malignant neoplasms of the rectum and colon. Here we evaluate the effectiveness of BNCT performed at the accelerator based epithermal neutron source at G. I. Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Siberian Division of Russian Academy of Sciences, in relation to subcutaneous xenografts of human colon adenocarcinoma SW-620 in SCID mice. Utilization of BNCT with boronоphenylalanine (BPA) and sodium borocaptate (BSH), which were injected intravenously into the retroorbital sinus, resulted in a significant decrease in tumor volumes compared to the control group (no radiation).

[Possibilities of boron neutron capture therapy in the treatment of malignant brain tumors].

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) that is of the highest attractiveness due to its selective action directly on malignant tumor cells is a promising approach to treating cancers. Clinical interest in BNCT focuses in neuro-oncology on therapy for gliomas, glioblastoma in particular, and BNCT may be used in brain metastatic involvement. This needs an epithermal neutron source that complies with the requirements for BNCT, as well as a 10B-containing agent that will selectively accumulate in tumor tissue. The introduction of BNCT into clinical practice to treat patients with glial tumors will be able to enhance therapeutic efficiency.

Current progress and future prospects of the VITA based neutron source.

At the BINP, a pilot accelerator based epithermal neutron source is now in use. Most recent investigations on the facility are related with studying the dark current, X-ray radiation measuring, optimization of H(-)-beam injection and new gas stripping target calibrating. The results of these studies, ways of providing stability to the accelerator are presented and discussed, as well as the ways of creating the therapeutic beam and strategies of applying the facility for clinical use.

BINP accelerator based epithermal neutron source.

Innovative facility for neutron capture therapy has been built at BINP. This facility is based on compact vacuum insulation tandem accelerator designed to produce proton current up to 10 mA. Epithermal neutrons are proposed to be generated by 1.915-2.5 MeV protons bombarding a lithium target using (7)Li(p,n)(7)Be threshold reaction. In the article, diagnostic techniques for proton beam and neutrons developed are described, results of experiments on proton beam transport and neutron generation are shown, discussed, and plans are presented.

[Results of radical removal of malignant cerebral gliomas, by using computer-assisted navigation, followed by adjuvant therapy].

A retrospective cohort analysis of the results of treatment of patients with malignant gliomas was made in 2 groups, each comprising 43 patients. In Group 1, the tumors were radically removed under neuronavigation guidance ("Voyager SX"). In Group 2 where the patients were operated on by the same team of surgeons who did not employ computer-assisted navigation technologies. The results of different adjuvant therapy regimens were analyzed in patients after radical tumor removal under navigation guidance (Group 1). In its first subgroup, 24 patients with anaplastic astrocytes were postoperatively irradiated (60 Gy), followed by treatment with temodal (200 mg/m2 (mean 6 courses). In the second subgroup, 12 patients received chemoradiotherapy (temodal, 75 mg/m2 daily + irradiation), followed by courses (n=6) of temodal, 200 mg/m2). In the third subgroup, 7 patients were treated with fotemustin (200 mg/m2 (induction) + 5 cycles). The computer-assisted technologies substantially improve a postoperative outcome in patients with malignant glionas. Current chemoradiotherapy is relatively safe and prolongs a relapse-free interval with a high quality of life. Further studies call for the efficiency of different adjuvant therapy regimens after radical surgery.