A theranostic approach based on the use of a dual boron/Gd agent to improve the efficacy of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy in the lung cancer treatment

BNCT is a promising option for the treatment of lung tumors and metastasis as using highly selective vectors this therapy can potentially affect only tumor cells with a lethal dose of radiations, even in case of spreading and infiltrative cases. The innovation of this study lies on the development and test of a nanosized theranostic agent, able to maximize the selective uptake of boron atoms in tumor cells and, at the same time, to quantify (by MRI) the in vivo boron biodistribution that is crucial to determine the optimal neutron irradiation time and to calculate the delivered radiation dose.222