Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is an emerging treatment modality aimed at improving the therapeutic ratio for traditionally difficult to treat tumors. BNCT utilizes boronated agents to preferentially deliver boron-10 to tumors, which, after undergoing irradiation with neutrons, yields litihium-7 and an alpha particle. The alpha particle has a short range, therefore preferentially affecting tumor tissues while sparing more distal normal tissues. To date, BNCT has been studied clinically in a variety of disease sites, including glioblastoma multiforme, meningioma, head and neck cancers, lung cancers, breast cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma, sarcomas, cutaneous malignancies, extramammary Paget’s disease, recurrent cancers, pediatric cancers, and metastatic disease. We aim to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive review of the studies of each of these disease sites, as well as a review on the challenges facing adoption of BNCT.

To evaluate physician perceptions and attitudes toward telemedicine use at a tertiary care academic institution in northeast Florida during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. An anonymous 38-question cross-sectional survey was developed using Qualtrics survey software (Qualtrics) and e-mailed to all staff physicians from all specialty disciplines at Mayo Clinic in Florida. The survey was open from August 17, 2020, through September 1, 2020. Collected data included general demographic characteristics and employment information, attitude and experience with telemedicine use before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, perception of patients’ experience, and the effect of telemedicine on burnout. The survey was distributed to 529 eligible physicians at our institution, with 103 physicians responding (20%). The distribution of specialties was 22% primary care specialties, 41% other internal medicine subspecialties, and 18% surgical specialties. Collectively, 63% found comparable quality of care when provided virtually (vs in-person) whereas 80% perceived telemedicine as cost-effective. A total of 76% of physicians felt that telemedicine increased flexibility and control over patient care activities, with 36% reporting improved work-life balance and 30% reporting improved burnout symptoms. Overall, 42% preferred using telemedicine over in-person visits when possible. Physicians generally had positive attitudes regarding the adoption of telemedicine and perceived that the quality of health care delivery as generally comparable to in-person care. Future studies are needed to explore attitudes regarding telemedicine after the pandemic and how this virtual technology may be further used to improve physicians’ professional and personal well-being.

BNCT is a high-linear-energy transfer therapy that facilitates tumor-directed radiation delivery while largely sparing adjacent normal tissues through the biological targeting of boron compounds to tumor cells. Tumor-specific accumulation of boron with limited accretion in normal cells is the crux of successful BNCT delivery. Given this, developing novel boronated compounds with high selectivity, ease of delivery, and large boron payloads remains an area of active investigation. Furthermore, there is growing interest in exploring the immunogenic potential of BNCT. In this review, we discuss the basic radiobiological and physical aspects of BNCT, traditional and next-generation boron compounds, as well as translational studies exploring the clinical applicability of BNCT. Additionally, we delve into the immunomodulatory potential of BNCT in the era of novel boron agents and examine innovative avenues for exploiting the immunogenicity of BNCT to improve outcomes in difficult-to-treat malignancies.

Introduction There is widespread public interest when celebrities are diagnosed with cancer. We sought to assess how this interest impacts awareness of prevalent cancers. Methods We reviewed common cancer-related search terms using Google Trends (Google LLC, Mountain View, CA) between the years 2004 and 2017 and retrospectively correlated these findings with media or celebrity-related events. The Google Trends application was used to obtain the "search volume index" (SVI), defined as the number of searches for a specific term standardized to the total number of searches over that time period. Data were presented in a graphical format. Isolated peaks of greater than 25% from the baseline SVI were identified. Using the date of the peaks, a further search was performed to determine if any event in the media triggered the peak. Results "Lung Cancer," "Pancreas Cancer," "Endometrial Cancer," "Cervical Cancer," "Brain Cancer," and "Glioblastoma" each had the highest peak correspond with a celebrity-related event covered in the media. These search terms displayed several additional isolated peaks, the majority of which could all be correlated with a significant media event (%). The search term "Breast Cancer" consistently had a peaked interest during October (breast cancer awareness month). Breast cancer events relating to public figures had little to no relative impact on search volume during this period. None of the other cancer search terms displayed the same cyclical pattern during their respective awareness months. Colon, rectal, and prostate cancer demonstrated stable search volumes over time, without an isolated peak. Conclusion Internet search activity among English speakers of most general cancer terms exhibit peaks coinciding with events that occur to celebrity figures or advances in medicines that are substantially covered in the media. In all cases but "breast cancer," these events lend to higher search activity as compared to campaigns and awareness months. Our study suggests that media coverage of public figures with cancer may trigger substantial Internet interest in non-breast cancers, more so than traditional efforts to raise awareness.

Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the cornerstones in the current treatment paradigm for glioblastoma (GBM). However, little has changed in the management of GBM since the establishment of the current protocol in 2005, and the prognosis remains grim. Radioresistance is one of the hallmarks for treatment failure, and different therapeutic strategies are aimed at overcoming it. Among these strategies, nanomedicine has advantages over conventional tumor therapeutics, including improvements in drug delivery and enhanced antitumor properties. Radiosensitizing strategies using nanoparticles (NP) are actively under study and hold promise to improve the treatment response. We aim to describe the basis of nanomedicine for GBM treatment, current evidence in radiosensitization efforts using nanoparticles, and novel strategies, such as preoperative radiation, that could be synergized with nanoradiosensitizers.