Radiobiology of boron neutron capture therapy: Problems with the concept of relative biological effectiveness

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:5768887

Coderre, J A; Makar, M S

The radiation dose delivered to cells in vitro or vivo during boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a mixture of photons, fast neutrons and heavy charged particles from the interaction of neutrons with nitrogen and born. The concept of relative biological effectiveness (RBE) had been developed to allow comparison of the effects of these radiations with the effects of standard photon treatments such as 250 kVp x-rays or {sup 60}Co gamma rays. The RBE value for all of these high linear energy transfer radiations can vary considerably depending upon the experimental conditions and endpoint utilized. The short range of the particles from the {sup 10}B(n,{alpha}) {sup 7}Li reaction make the precise subcellular location of the {sup 10}B atom of critical importance. The microscopic distribution of the {sup 10}B has a decided effect on the dosimetry. Monte Carlo simulations have shown that, at the cellular level, there is a profound difference in the probability of cell kill depending on the location of the {sup 10}B relative to the nucleus. Different boron-delivery agents will almost certainly have different distribution patterns at the subcellular level. The effect of BNCT with the amino acid p-boronophenylalanine (BPA) was compared with the effect of 250 kVp x-rays on a pigmented B16 melanoma subclone, both in vitro and in vivo. Generally accepted RBE values were applied to the relevant components of the Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor (BMRR) thermal neutron beam, however, there were still discrepancies when the resulting dose response curves were compared with the response to 250 kVp x-rays.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5768887
• Report Number(s): BNL-46149; CONF-901226--3; ON: DE91013807
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550603* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Therapy-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
BARYONS
BIOLOGY
BORON 10
BORON ISOTOPES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DISEASES
DOSE EQUIVALENTS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EXPERIMENTAL NEOPLASMS
FAST NEUTRONS
FERMIONS
HADRONS
IN VITRO
IN VIVO
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRRADIATION REACTORS
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION REACTORS
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LET
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAMMALS
MEDICINE
MELANOMAS
MICE
MONTE CARLO METHOD
MRR REACTOR
NEOPLASMS
NEUTRON CAPTURE THERAPY
NEUTRON THERAPY
NEUTRONS
NITROGEN 14
NITROGEN ISOTOPES
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN ENHANCEMENT RATIO
PHENYLALANINE
RADIATIONS
RADIOBIOLOGY
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
RBE
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
RODENTS
STABLE ISOTOPES
SURVIVAL CURVES
TANK TYPE REACTORS
THERAPY
THERMAL REACTORS
VERTEBRATES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
X RADIATION