Helsinki Hospital Uses BNCT to Treat First Cancer Patients

Neutron Therapeutics LLC and Helsinki University Hospital have unveiled a groundbreaking milestone in treating cancer: the first patients in Europe have undergone accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) with the nuBeam system. The breakthrough represents the initial Western world use of accelerator-based BNCT and comes after years of joint research by the two entities. 

Key Takeaways:

• Europe sees first clinical use of accelerator-based BNCT.
• Helsinki University Hospital leads BNCT safety trial with nuBeam.
• BNCT offers targeted, low-impact cancer therapy in just 1–2 sessions.

Already approved in Japan, BNCT is a form of targeted radiation therapy in which epithermal neutrons are employed to neutron-activate a boron compound selectively taken up by cancer cells. The interaction generates high-energy alpha particles that kill cancer cells with minimal damage to normal tissue. In contrast to standard therapies, BNCT is usually limited to one or two treatments and has the potential for very high efficacy with few side effects.

Also Read: How Innovative Drug Formulations are Enhancing Treatment Outcomes

The treated patients are participants in a ten-patient clinical trial assessing the safety of BNCT for recurrent head and neck cancers. Helsinki University Hospital's Comprehensive Cancer Center, with years of experience in BNCT development, is the first in Europe to deploy the nuBeam Suite—a small, high-throughput neutron source combined with cutting-edge imaging, treatment planning, and control software.

Neutron Therapeutics seeks to gain CE marking on the nuBeam Suite and is negotiating with US medical institutions to bring BNCT to North America.