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Treatment results of boron neutron capture therapy using intra-arterial administration of boron compounds for recurrent head and neck cancer

¹ Department of Radiation Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, 1-1 Kanokoden, Chikusaku, Nagoya, 464-8681, ² Particle Oncology Research Center, Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Osaka, 2-1010, Asahiro-nishi, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-0494, ³ Cancer Intelligence Care Systems, Inc, 5-2-5, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-001, Japan

Correspondence: Nobukazu Fuwa, Department of Radiation Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, 1-1 Kanokoden, Chikusaku, Nagoya, 464-8681, Japan. E-mail: nfuwa{at}aichi-cc.jp

The effect of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is correlated with the density of boron in the tumour. BNCT using intra-arterial administration of boron compounds was performed for recurrent head and neck cancer. Of the five patients treated, one achieved a complete response and four achieved a partial response. There was one case of transient headache but no severe adverse effects were observed. The advantages of using an intra-arterial administration route for BNCT, which causes the selective killing of tumour cells, might offer a new option in the treatment of recurrent head and neck malignancies. These promising results require further verification and optimization of the BNCT schedule; however, dose escalation would appear to be justified because the toxicity appears to be very low.