Experience of boron neutron capture therapy in Japan

In Japan the boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has been applied to more than 200 patients, mostly brain tumor and partially melanoma. For brain tumor, Kyoto University, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Tsukuba University and National Kagawa Children's Hospital accept patients, and for melanoma, Kobe University and Mishima Institute for Dermatological Research accept patients so far. Recently the heavy water facility of Kyoto University Reactor (KUR, 5MW) has been upgraded for epithermal neutron as well as thermal neutron irradiations, and for the patient treatment during the continuous operation of the KUR. (author)