What is cancer? -- Principles of neutron capture therapy -- Major neutron capture therapy (NCT) drug prototypes -- Neutron sources for NCT -- NCT dosimetry and treatment planning -- Selected in vitro and in vivo studies -- Clinical trials -- Future perspectives for boron and gadolinium neutron capture therapies in cancer treatment -- Clinical state of BNCT by US Department of Energy (DOE) as at 1997.
Summary
The book focuses on two concurrent experimental therapies in cancer treatment known as boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and gadolinium neutron capture therapy (GdNCT) using a variety of boron- and gadolinium-based compounds. Some of the gadolinium compounds serve the dual purpose as being MRI contrast agents and GdNCT agents. The book describes why BNCT & GdNCT were not at the forefront of the clinical trials during the past seven to eight decades since the discovery of neutrons by John Chadwick in 1932 and how the latest development in the synthesis of target boron- and gadolinium-based d.
