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Tuesday, 14 January 2014

Particle Accelerators In Relation To Brain Tumors

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By Robert Sutter


When it comes to particle accelerators, there are particular fields that put them to use more than others. Arguably the most prominent area has got to be particle physics, as it seems like studies in this realm make use of technology the most. Is it possible that said technology can come into play when it comes to helping brain tumors seen in many patients, though? I believe this to be the case, especially when a unique study has come to my attention as of late.

As spoken of in an article within Symmetry Magazine, brain tumors have been treated in the past but the results may not be as tremendous as expected. Keep in mind that your standard methods of surgery can leave the surrounding brain tissue with instances of damage. This has been noted, as a study done by a group of scientists in Fermilab displayed. In fact, this story is so unique that it wouldn't surprise me if it would attract the attention of various organizations, Voices against Brain Cancer among them.

The article spoke about a procedure by the name of Boron Neuron Capture Therapy and how it can be put to use alongside particle technology. A patient will be given a tumor-seeking substance that will work its way into the bloodstream. Keep in mind that this substance entails non-radioactive boron, which will be able to enter the membrane through the blood-brain barrier. It will then be able to target both the tumor and the soft tissue around it, which can help in terms of keeping damage to a minimum.

What happens after this is that the patient is exposed to a beam of neurons, which is important to note. Keep in mind that boron is most effective at capturing neurons; the report accurately described it as a baseball mitt of sorts. Once a neuron is caught, the boron atom splits into two parts and this is where they will be able to deposit a lot of energy on a local basis. The level of energy seen here would be around the strength of a dose of radiation, targeting the tumor in the process.

This method entails science, which is something that goes without saying. However, the fact that one type of science is able to meet another is especially interesting; the fact that one of the focuses is on brain tumors is one that should not be overlooked. This method has been looked into for decades and it has been conducted around the world, too. With this in mind, it is apparent that the potential is present; it's just that this level has to be realized in the long term.




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