Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT)

NCBJ Mixed Radiation Dismetry Lab and Polish Society of Medical Physics (PTFM) Warsaw Branch, Radiation Protection Section invite all interested to take part in a scientific seminar organized on the occasion of PTFM Congress. Special Congress guests include Iiro Auterinen (Finland) and Akira Matsumura (Japan).

Seminar agenda:
11:30 am                           Welcome address
11:35 am – 12:15 pm      Invited lecture (Iiro Auterinen)
12:15 pm – 12:30 pm      Coffee break
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm        Presentation of the Neutron H2 project 
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm          Lunch break
1:45 pm – 3:15 pm          Sightseeing the MARIA reactor

NCBJ bus departs from Warsaw University Physics Faculty premises entrance gate at 69, Hoża str. in Warsaw on 10:25 am (more info - see route 19). Several buses depart from Świerk to Warsaw at 4 pm (more info - see routes 34, 35 and 36)

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is used to treat some types of cancer. Some ¹⁰B carriers (organic molecules) preferentially absorbed by cancer cells are administered to the patient. Under irradiation by a flux of thermal neutrons ¹⁰B  nuclei decay to ⁷Li ones with emission of alpha particles. Range of the emitted alpha particle in organic matter is between 2 and 4 micrometres, so almost entire (quite substantial) energy of the particle is absorbed practically inside the host cell. Healthy tissues in the vicinity that have absorbed much less ¹⁰B remain practically undamaged. The ability to selectively destroy cancer cells is a great advantage of the BNCT therapy.

The H2 NEUTRONS project

Works on an experimental setup at the MARIA reactor adopted to conduct research on BNCT therapy have been in progress since 2014. MARIA is technically well suited to exit a beam of epithermic neutrons outside its core (using an uranium converter). Some highly recognized experts in boron carriers applicable in BNCT therapy are available in Poland, while good infrastructure, extensive know-how, and people of various professions willing to engage in research on the therapy are available just in Świerk.