First-Ever Human Trials of BNCT for Liver Cancer Begin

October 24, 2024 by No Comments

HSINCHU, Taiwan, Oct. 23, 2024 — National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan and the MacKay Memorial Hospital in Hsinchu have recently announced plans to conduct the world’s first human trials using Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) to treat liver cancer, offering hope to patients suffering from diffuse liver tumors and recurring liver cancer.

R.J. Sheu, director of the Nuclear Science and Technology Development Center (NSTDC) at NTHU, explained that BNCT is a type of targeted radiation therapy. Patients receive a drug containing boron, which acts as a target. Once the drug accumulates in the tumor, a neutron beam is used to irradiate the tumor. This causes the boron atoms to divide, producing alpha particles and lithium nuclei that explode, destroying cancer cells without harming nearby healthy cells.

NTHU, utilizing a nuclear reactor converted for medical use, has already treated over 500 cases of brain tumors and head and neck cancers, including patients from overseas, many of whom suffer from malignant brain tumors considered incurable.

The boron-containing drug, readily absorbed by liver tumors, was developed by a team of researchers at the NSTDC led by Professor Fong-In Chou, known as the “Mother of BNCT.”

Following the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with Hsinchu MacKay Hospital, NTHU president W. John Kao stated that the launch of human clinical trials marks a significant advancement in developing this technology, adding that “it will bring a glimmer of light to liver cancer patients who have lost hope.”

Shun-Long Weng, director of Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, pointed out that liver cancer often recurs because a cancerous liver no longer functions normally, and even if the tumor is removed, the risk remains. Moreover, existing liver cancer treatments are not very effective, making this collaborative research a new source of hope for patients.

Chou highlighted that one of the primary challenges in this research has been developing a drug readily absorbed by cancerous liver cells but not by normal cells. The boron-containing drug developed by her team, called boroncide, has already been used in animal experiments, but it will take at least another three months to receive approval from the Ministry of Health and Welfare for human use.

Liver cancer ranks second among the top ten causes of cancer death in Taiwan, said Chou, and by the time it is diagnosed, the cancer is often in the final stage. BNCT targets tumors without harming surrounding healthy cells, making it highly suitable for treating multiple or diffuse liver tumors and proliferated vascular tissue.

Wen-Ke Chen, a doctor at MacKay Hospital, acknowledged that traditional liver cancer treatments are not very effective and that cancerous cells tend to return or metastasize. However, BNCT is poised to change that. Chen cited the critical situation of a middle-aged woman suffering from recurring liver cancer with a cancer index of 7,000, currently untreatable. After learning about BNCT, she has regained hope and is eager to receive this new treatment as soon as it becomes available.

Contact:
Holly Hsueh
NTHU
(886)3-5162006
hoyu@mx.nthu.edu.tw