Fusion research is driving innovations in life-saving medicine, including advanced cancer treatments.
Non-Energy Uses for Fusion Energy
At the FusionXInvest event in San Jose this past week, Rob Hill, the CEO of TAE Life Sciences, provided an overview of how his company is attacking some of the most aggressive and challenging forms of cancer. The technology he presented was Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). BNCT is emerging as a valuable tool in the fight against cancer for patients with difficult-to-treat conditions.
Fighting Cancer for Everyone
I think every one of us has personally been impacted by cancer as a patient and/or watched a loved one experience and battle cancer. To say that it is difficult is an understatement. As is often the case with major scientific programs like fusion energy or the space program, new technologies are developed that can apply to many other fields of study, industries, and companies. TAE Life Sciences is one of these new companies that is developing a cancer treatment known as Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) by leveraging fusion energy technology.
What is Boron Neutron Capture Therapy?
BNCT is an advanced form of radiotherapy that combines the precision of targeted drug delivery with the power of neutron radiation[2]. This two-step treatment process uniquely destroys cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
How Does BNCT Work?
The BNCT process involves two key steps:
Drug Administration – Patients are first infused with a non-toxic boron-10 compound that selectively accumulates in tumor tissue.
Neutron Irradiation – The tumor area is irradiated with low-energy neutrons. When these neutrons interact with the boron-10 atoms in the cancer cells, it triggers a nuclear reaction.
This reaction produces high-energy alpha particles and lithium-7 nuclei, which have a very short range (5-9 μm) – approximately the diameter of a single cell. This precise targeting allows for the destruction of cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy tissue.
Neutron Generation
BNCT requires a precise source of low-energy neutrons, typically in the epithermal range (0.5 eV to 10 keV). Fusion-related technologies have led to the development of compact neutron generators that can produce neutrons suitable for BNCT:
D-D and D-T Reactions – Compact neutron generators based on deuterium-deuterium (D-D) or deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reactions can produce neutrons with energies of 2.45 MeV (D-D) or 14.1 MeV (D-T).
High Neutron Yield – The D-T reaction, in particular, offers a neutron yield about 100 times higher than D-D, allowing for more efficient neutron production.
Precision Targeting
The fusion-inspired neutron sources contribute to BNCT precision in several ways:
Cellular-Level Precision – The combination of targeted boron-10 drugs and low-energy neutrons allows BNCT to target cancer at the cellular level, selectively destroying cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.
Reduced Positioning Requirements—BNCT does not require strict patient immobilization or sub-millimeter positioning accuracy because the boron-containing drug provides targeting precision.
Improved Dose Distribution – Using epithermal neutrons, which can be generated more efficiently with fusion-inspired technologies, allows for better depth-dose distributions in tissue compared to thermal neutrons.
While fusion energy machines are not used in BNCT, the principles and technologies derived from fusion research have contributed to developing more precise, efficient, and accessible neutron sources for BNCT treatments. This has helped to enhance the overall precision and effectiveness of BNCT as a cancer treatment modality.
TAE Life Sciences is Advancing BNCT Technology
TAE Life Sciences is at the forefront of BNCT development, focusing on making this innovative treatment more widely available. Their contributions include:
AlphaBeam® BNCT System – TAE Life Sciences has developed a next-generation BNCT system called AlphaBeam®, designed to deliver targeted treatment for challenging cancers.
Novel Boron Delivery Agent – TAE created a new boron-10 compound (BTS) with significant advantages over traditional agents. BTS demonstrates 2-4 times higher cellular uptake than BPA (a commonly used boron compound) and maintains higher boron levels in cancer cells for more extended periods.
Global Expansion – TAE Life Sciences is collaborating with leading cancer centers worldwide to establish new BNCT facilities. For example, they are working with the Franciszek Łukaszczyk Oncology Center in Poland to create a state-of-the-art BNCT center, scheduled to begin clinical trials in spring 2026.
Cancers Treated with BNCT
BNCT has shown promise in treating several types of cancer, including:
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and other malignant brain tumors
Recurrent head and neck cancers
Malignant melanoma
Locally advanced and recurrent tumors
Research is ongoing to expand BNCT applications to other cancer types, potentially offering new treatment options for patients with limited alternatives.
The State of BNCT
BNCT has shown promising results in treating various types of cancer, particularly those that are difficult to treat with conventional methods. Clinical trials are ongoing worldwide, with Japan and the United States leading in patient enrollment. Key developments in BNCT include:
Accelerator-based neutron sources are replacing nuclear reactors, making the technology more accessible.
Improved boron carriers enhance the efficacy of the treatment.
Expanding applications beyond brain tumors to include head and neck cancers and melanomas.
Next Steps for BNCT
As BNCT technology continues to advance, several key areas are likely to see further development:
Refinement of boron delivery agents for improved tumor targeting.
Expansion of BNCT applications to treat a broader range of cancer types.
Continued improvement of neutron sources for more efficient and accessible treatment.
Fusion Benefits Beyond Energy
This was just one of the fusion energy inspired applications not directly related to putting electrons into the grid. We will cover more of these other applications in the coming weeks. It was great to see fusion energy research provide benefits in new directions that will make the world a better place and save lives.