ICB Hosts the Congress of the German Society for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Under the title “BNCT on its Way into Hospitals,” participants from 15 countries gathered to discuss the current progress of this new form of cancer therapy. In boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), molecules are loaded with the non-radioactive isotope boron-10, which selectively accumulates in tumor cells. When irradiated with low-energy neutrons, nuclear reactions occur, resulting in radiation that is confined to the tumor cells containing boron-10 without damaging the healthy neighboring cells. This novel form of therapy is used in hospitals in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and China. In Europe, the University Hospital in Helsinki treated its first patient in May.

In addition to clinical and biological aspects, the congress discussed the development of new drugs, neutron sources that can be operated in hospitals, and, above all, the challenges associated with BNCT in medical physics. Prof. Dr. med. Wolfgang Sauerwein says, “We are very pleased that so many excellent scientists and dedicated clinicians came to Würzburg to discuss with us the amazing possibilities that this new form of therapy opens up. Of course, we also hope that this will spark more interest in BNCT in Germany and that this therapy will soon be available here as well.”