BNCT Cancer Therapy
Precision radiation treatment at the cellular level — targeting tumours while sparing healthy tissue.
The Challenge
Cancer Treatment That Spares Healthy Tissue
Conventional radiation therapy cannot distinguish between tumour cells and surrounding healthy tissue. For head-and-neck cancers and glioblastoma (GBM) — often located near critical structures such as the brain, eyes, and airway — this limits dose delivery and treatment efficacy. Recurrent cases after prior radiation are particularly difficult, with few remaining options. India sees a large annual burden of recurrent head-and-neck (rH&NC) and GBM cases — approximately 60,000 new patients per year between the two categories — with no operational BNCT facility in the country to date. The relevant clinical precedent is Japan: the Japanese regulator PMDA approved an accelerator-based BNCT system in 2020, and the country’s national health insurance system has reimbursed BNCT for head-and-neck indications from the same year.
Our Approach
Cellular-Precision Neutron Therapy
ASPL Fusion is working to establish accelerator-based BNCT capability in India. A proton accelerator is designed to generate epithermal neutrons through a carefully engineered Beam Shaping Assembly (BSA). A boron compound administered to the patient accumulates preferentially in tumour cells. When irradiated, the boron captures neutrons and releases high-energy alpha particles with a range of approximately one cell diameter — destroying the tumour while leaving adjacent healthy tissue intact.
Why It Matters
Key Benefits
Cellular Precision
Radiation damage is confined to a single cell diameter. Healthy tissue adjacent to the tumour receives minimal dose — critical for cancers near the brain, eyes, and airway.
Recurrent Cancer Treatment
BNCT can treat tumours that have already received conventional radiation therapy — offering hope for patients with limited remaining options.
Single-Session Potential
Unlike conventional radiation delivered over weeks, BNCT treatment is typically completed in one or two sessions, reducing patient burden and hospital resource requirements.
Who This Serves
Industries & Applications
- Oncology hospitals and cancer research centres treating head and neck cancers
- Neurosurgery departments managing recurrent glioblastoma
- Radiation oncology teams seeking alternatives for radiation-resistant tumours
- Clinical trial organisations exploring next-generation radiation therapies
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Related Applications
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