Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate how the spatial distribution of boron in cells and oxygen concentration affect the DNA damage induced by charged particles in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) by Monte Carlo simulations, and further to evaluate the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induction.
Materials and methods
The kinetic energy spectra of α, 7Li particles in BNCT arriving at the nucleus surface were obtained from GEANT4 (Geant4 10.05.p01). The DNA damage caused by BNCT was then evaluated using MCDS (MCDS 3.10A).
Results
When α or 7Li particles were distributed in the cytomembrane or cytoplasm, the difference in DNA damage of the same types was less than 0.5%. Taking the 137Cs photons as the reference radiation, when the oxygen concentration varied from 0% to 50%, the RBE of 0.54MeV protons and recoil protons varied from 5 to 2, whereas it decreased from 10 to 3 for α or 7Li particles.
Conclusion
The RBE of DSB induction all charged particles in BNCT decreased with the increase of oxygen concentration. This work indicated that the RBE of different radiation particles of BNCT might be affected by many factors, which should be paid attention to in theoretical research or clinical application.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to give special thanks to Dr. Robert D. Stewart from the University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America for his discussion on the use of MCDS.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Jie Qi
Jie Qi, is a MS student in the Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China.
Changran Geng
Changran Geng, is an Associate professor in the Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China.
Xiaobin Tang
Xiaobin Tang, is a Professor in the Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China.
Feng Tian
Feng Tian, is a PhD student in the Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China.
Yang Han
Yang Han, is a PhD student in the Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China.
Huan Liu
Huan Liu, is a MS student in the Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China.
Yuanhao Liu
Yuanhao Liu, is a Professor in the Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China.
Silva Bortolussi
Silva Bortolussi, is a Senior researcher in the Department of Physics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Fada Guan
Fada Guan, is an Assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Physics, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.