Critical review, with an optimistic outlook, on Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT)

•BNCT was first used over 60 years ago, but is still not part of mainstream medicine.•Results of recent clinical trials in BNCT are encouraging.•The use of nuclear reactors for BNCT is waning whilst the use of linear accelerators is just starting.•All these factors give rise to fresh hope in BNCT.

The first BNCT trials took place in the USA in the early 1960's, yet BNCT is still far from mainstream medicine. Nonetheless, in recent years, reported results in the treatment of head and neck cancer and recurrent glioma, coupled with the progress in developing linear accelerators specifically for BNCT applications, have given some optimism to the future of BNCT. This article provides a brief reminder on the ups and downs of the history of BNCT and supports the view that controlled and prospective clinical trials with a modern design will make BNCT an evidence-based treatment modality within the coming decade.