Tumor-Targeted Agents and Translational Strategies for Neutron Capture Therapy

Neutron capture therapy is re-emerging as a highly targeted cancer treatment strategy, driven by renewed clinical interest in boron neutron capture therapy and continued progress in tumor-selective delivery systems. Yet the field’s success depends not only on neutron sources or treatment planning, but on the development of agents and translational strategies that can achieve reliable tumor uptake, favorable biodistribution, and practical clinical use. Recent work has emphasized the importance of tumor-targeting boron platforms, multifunctional carriers, and agent-centered translational validation for moving the field forward.This Research Topic will focus on tumor-targeted agents and translational strategies that can strengthen the biological and clinical foundation of neutron capture therapy. We welcome contributions spanning design, delivery, validation, and early clinical application, with particular interest in studies that connect new compounds or platforms to measurable therapeutic relevance. Submissions focused on chemistry, nanomaterials, or drug-delivery platforms should include a clear link to therapeutic relevance, radiation response, dosimetry, biodistribution, radiobiological validation, or clinical translation, so that the collection remains centered on neutron capture therapy as a radiation oncology modality.To capture the breadth and depth of current research, we welcome articles including but not limited to the following topics:• Novel boron-, lithium and gadolinium-based agents, conjugates, and nanocarriers for NCT, with a clear link to therapeutic relevance or radiation response.• Tumor targeting, intracellular delivery, uptake selectivity, and biodistribution.• Imaging-enabled and theranostic approaches for agent tracking and treatment selection.• Dosimetry-linked validation, radiobiological effects, efficacy, and safety in relevant models• Translational and early clinical studies assessing feasibility, implementation, and therapeutic potentialBy bringing together chemistry, nanomedicine, imaging, dosimetry, radiation biology, and oncology, this collection aims to highlight the strategies most likely to translate promising NCT agents into clinically useful cancer therapies. We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Systematic Review, Methods, Brief Research Report, and Perspective articles, and invite submissions from multidisciplinary teams working across agent development, translational evaluation, and clinical application.Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this journal. Topic editors: Gil Alberto Batista Gonçalves, Silva Bortolussi, Kazuyo Igawa, Ricardo Luis Ramos Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80715/tumor-targeted-agents-and-translational-strategies-for-neutron-capture-therapy