Insights into the use of gadolinium and gadolinium/boron-based agents in imaging-guided neutron capture therapy applications

Gadolinium neutron capture therapy (Gd-NCT) is currently under development as an
alternative approach for cancer therapy. All of the clinical experience to date with NCT
is done with 10B, known as boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), a binary treatment
combining neutron irradiation with the delivery of boron-containing compounds to
tumors. Currently, the use of gadolinium for NCT has been getting more attention
because of its highest neutron cross-section. Although Gd-NCT was first proposed
many years ago, its development has suffered due to lack of appropriate tumorselective
Gd agents. This review aims to highlight the recent advances for the design,
synthesis and biological testing of new Gd- and B-Gd-containing compounds with the
task of finding the best systems able to improve the NCT clinical outcome.