A Feasibility Study of the SLOWPOKE-2 Reactor as a Neutron Source for Boron Neutron Cancer Treatment

Over the past decade, there has been a continued interest in the development of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) as a potential treatment for cancerous tumours and especially certain brain tumours. In this method, advantage is taken of the nuclear properties of certain elements such as boron. A special boron carrier drug, designed to be selectively taken up by the cancer cells, is administered to the patient. The cancerous part of the body is then irradiated by thermal or epithermal neutrons. The predominant thermal neutron cross section in the carrier drug yields a B(n, ")Li reaction which results in heavy recoil particles having sufficient energy and range to damage only the cell in which the boron compound was situated. Thus a high boron concentration in the tumor provides preferential cell death in that tissue. Healthy tissue with its lower concentration of boron receives a much smaller dose. The advantage of epithermal neutrons over thermal neutrons is that they can penetrate the skull, moderated, becoming a useable thermal neutron source. Research reactors or accelerators can be used as a source of neutrons. Although work is being done on the development of a suitable accelerator, BNCT becomes clinically attractive only if a sufficiently high epithermal neutron flux can be delivered to the target tissue. To date, only reactor based facilities have been able to meet the required flux levels.(1)