title: Exploring Boron Neutron Capture Therapy for non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a radiotherapy that combines biological targeting and high LET radiation. It consists in the enrichment of tumour with (10)B and in the successive irradiation of the target with low energy neutrons producing charged particles that mainly cause non-repairable damages to the cells. The feasibility to treat Non Small Cells Lung Cancer (NSCLC) with BNCT was explored. This paper proposes a new approach to determine treatment plans, introducing the possibility to choose the irradiation start and duration to maximize the tumour dose. A Tumour Control Probability (TCP) suited for lung BNCT as well as other high dose radiotherapy schemes was also introduced. Treatment plans were evaluated in localized and disseminated lung tumours. Semi-ideal and real energy spectra beams were employed to assess the best energy range and the performance of non-tailored neutron sources for lung tumour treatments. The optimal neutron energy is within [500 eV-3 keV], lower than the 10 keV suggested for the treatment of deep-seated tumours in the brain. TCPs higher than 0.6 and up to 0.95 are obtained for all cases. Conclusions drawn from [Suzuki et al., Int Canc Conf J 1 (4) (2012) 235-238] supporting the feasibility of BNCT for shallow lung tumours are confirmed, however discussions favouring the treatment of deeper lesions and disseminated disease are also opened. Since BNCT gives the possibility to deliver a safe and potentially effective treatment for NSCLC, it can be considered a suitable alternative for patients with few or no treatment options.
authors.affiliation: Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA), Av. Gral. Paz 1499, Buenos Aires B1650KNA, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Rivadavia 1917, Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina.
authors.forename: Rubén O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Farías
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Pavia, via Bassi 6, Pavia 27100, Italy; National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), via Bassi 6, Pavia 27100, Italy.
authors.forename: Silva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bortolussi
authors.affiliation: Insituto de Oncología "Angel H. Roffo", Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. San Martin, n° 5421, Buenos Aires C1417DTB, Argentina.
authors.forename: Pablo R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Menéndez
authors.affiliation: Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA), Av. Gral. Paz 1499, Buenos Aires B1650KNA, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Rivadavia 1917, Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina. Electronic address: srgonzal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sara J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: González
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001921:Brain / Q000528:radiation effects; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009038:Motion; D009502:Neutrons; D017785:Photons; D011336:Probability; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013909:Thorax / Q000528:radiation effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: BNCT; Lung tumours; MCNP; Tumour control probability