Phospholipid‐Coated Boronic Oxide Nanoparticles as a Boron Agent for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Minimally invasive boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is one of the elegant approaches for cancer treatment. The deliverability of boron agents to cancer cells with high selectivity and efficiency is the key to maximizing the therapeutic benefits of BNCT. In addition, the enhancement of the frequencies to achieve a boron neutron capture reaction is also significant in improving therapeutic efficacy by providing a highly concentrated boron agent in each boron nanoparticle. Since the density of the thermal neutron beam remains low, it is unable to induce high-efficiency cell destruction. Herein, we report phospholipid-coated boronic oxide nanoparticles as a boron agent for BNCT, which can provide a highly concentrated boron atom in each nanoparticle. The current system exhibited BNCT activity seven-fold higher than the commercially applicable boron agents in vitro. Furthermore, the system could penetrate cancer spheroids deeply, efficiently suppressing thermal neutron irradiation-induced growth.