Feasibility study of breast tumor treatment based BNCT beam line of TRR

Introduction: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a promising targeted cancer radiation therapy especially in inoperable malignant tumor treatment. The nonradioactive 10B and thermal neutron interaction produce high Linear Energy Transfer (LET) alpha particle and recoiling lithium-7. The lethal DNA damage occurs, due to the limited path length in tissue (~5-9μm) of these high LET particles. The potential of new BNCT beam based on the medical room of Tehran Research Reactor has been carried out for breast cancer treatmentMethod: The new BNCT beam line has been designed and optimized based on the medical room of Tehran Research Reactor (TRR). There is achannelon the pool wall which can connect the pool side aperture to medical room aperture. The final designed BNCT facility can provide 2.96×109 n/cm2.s epithermal neutron flux with less contamination of gamma and fast neutron. Then, the capability of new neutron beam has been assessment to treat breast tumor. To do this, the ORNL female phantom phantom has been simulated through the MCNPX code to calculate the absorbed dose in tumor tissue (1cm radios in right breast) and vital organs like the heart and lungs.Result: The results show that, the lethal absorbed dose for breast tumor (50 Gy) has been achieved at 18min, which is the reasonable time for BNCT.Conclusion: The intensity of the new neutron flux based on the medical room of TRR is proper to treat breast tumor, which was located up to ~ 4 cm of the brain surface.