Helsinki University Hospital and Neutron Therapeutics LLC have successfully treated the first head and neck cancer patients in Europe using accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). This groundbreaking achievement represents the first clinical application of accelerator-based BNCT outside of Asia and culminates a multi-year collaborative effort between the organizations.
The treatment was administered at Helsinki University Hospital as part of an ongoing clinical trial enrolling patients with inoperable, locally recurrent head and neck cancer. This milestone brings a promising therapeutic option to Western patients who previously had no access to this technology.
How BNCT Works
BNCT is a highly targeted radiation therapy that operates at the cellular level. The treatment involves two key components: a boron-bearing compound that is selectively absorbed by tumor cells and epithermal neutrons that activate this compound. When the neutrons interact with the boron, they trigger a reaction that generates high-energy alpha particles within the cancer cells, effectively destroying them while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
Unlike conventional radiation therapy or chemotherapy regimens that often require weeks of treatment, BNCT is typically administered in just one or two sessions. This efficiency potentially offers significant quality-of-life benefits for patients while delivering precise therapeutic effects.
The Clinical Trial
The patients treated at Helsinki University Hospital are the first participants in a ten-patient study designed to demonstrate the safety of BNCT for locally recurrent head and neck cancer. The treatment utilizes Neutron Therapeutics' nuBeam® device—a compact, accelerator-based neutron source—in combination with a locally compounded boron-carrying drug.
The Comprehensive Cancer Center at Helsinki University Hospital brings substantial expertise to this trial, having served as a hub for BNCT research and clinical trials since 1992. The center has previously treated over 200 cancer patients using a research nuclear reactor as the neutron source, making it uniquely qualified to pioneer this accelerator-based approach.
Technology Behind the Treatment
The nuBeam® Suite developed by Neutron Therapeutics provides a complete system for BNCT administration, including a neutron source, patient positioning and imaging capabilities, treatment control software, and treatment planning software. This integrated approach eliminates the need for nuclear reactors, which were previously required for BNCT and have largely been decommissioned in Western countries.
"Neutron Therapeutics is proud to help bring BNCT to the western world, where no one has received this promising treatment for many years due to the decommissioning of reactor-based BNCT facilities," said Bill Buckley, co-founder of Neutron Therapeutics. "We look to a future where BNCT may be an alternative for patients whose disease does not respond to conventional forms of treatment."
According to the company, the nuBeam® system delivers the highest neutron flux of all BNCT systems and provides superior beam quality according to guidelines established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the clinical use of neutrons.
Addressing Unmet Medical Needs
Head and neck cancers represent a significant clinical challenge, particularly when they recur locally after initial treatment. Patients with recurrent disease often face limited therapeutic options and poor prognoses, highlighting the need for innovative approaches like BNCT.
"We are excited to take this first clinical step towards making BNCT available to the people of Finland and ultimately Europe and beyond," said Johanna Mattson, Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Helsinki University Hospital. "This clinical trial addresses an area of significant unmet need. Our hospital's experience with BNCT makes us well positioned to carry out this study and the subsequent trials that we hope will bring this therapy to many more patients with different types of solid tumors."
Regulatory Status and Future Plans
While BNCT has received regulatory approval in Japan, it is not currently available to patients outside of Asia. Neutron Therapeutics is conducting clinical validation of the nuBeam® Suite with plans to submit for CE mark certification upon completion. This would potentially open the door for broader European access to the technology.
The company has also initiated discussions with academic medical centers in the United States to introduce this innovative cancer therapy to American patients, signaling a potential expansion of BNCT availability in Western healthcare systems.
Helsinki University Hospital, with its newly installed nuBeam® Suite, is positioned to become Europe's first accelerator-based BNCT practitioner. The hospital plans to continue its leadership in developing clinical applications for various cancer indications beyond the current focus on head and neck malignancies.
