Breakthrough in Gastric Cancer Treatment: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Shows Promise

Strategic Insights -

Research conducted at Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association has yielded promising results in the treatment of recurrent gastrointestinal cancers using a novel therapy called boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). This study, published in In Vivo, presents the first pilot clinical evaluation of BNCT using intravenous boronophenylalanine (BPA) for such cancers. The research involved four patients with tumors refractory to standard treatments, and the results demonstrate the potential of BNCT to alleviate cancer-related symptoms and improve patients' quality of life.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study presents the first pilot clinical evaluation of BNCT using intravenous BPA for recurrent gastrointestinal cancers.
  • Four patients with tumors refractory to standard treatments were enrolled in the phase I-II clinical study.
  • BNCT was performed using thermal neutron irradiation at Kyoto University Research Reactor, and no severe adverse effects were observed.
  • Tumor responses varied, with one patient achieving partial response and three demonstrating stable disease at three months post-treatment.
  • Notably, BNCT alleviated cancer-related symptoms, such as pain and nerve compression, improving patients' quality of life.
  • Dosimetric evaluations confirmed effective tumor doses with acceptable exposure to surrounding normal tissues.
  • The study concluded that future research should explore fractionated BNCT and combination therapies with immunotherapy or targeted agents to enhance efficacy further.
  • The research was conducted at Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, with additional authors from various institutions in Japan.

Statistics:

  • 4 patients were enrolled in the phase I-II clinical study.
  • 1 patient achieved partial response to BNCT.
  • 3 patients demonstrated stable disease at three months post-treatment.
  • 0 severe adverse effects were observed during the study.
  • Tumor responses varied, with a median time to progression of 3 months.
  • The study was funded by several institutions in Japan.

Sources:

  • Hironobu Yanagie, et al. "First Experiences of Pilot Clinical Studies on Boron Neutron Capture Therapy for Recurrent Gastrointestinal Cancers Using an Intravenous Injection of 10BPA." In Vivo, 2025;39(3):1470-1491.
  • Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association Reports Findings in Gastric Cancer (First Experiences of Pilot Clinical Studies on Boron Neutron Capture Therapy for Recurrent Gastrointestinal Cancers Using an Intravenous Injection of 10BPA). Chemicals & Chemistry. May 16, 2025; p 1553.