ANTHEM

The aim of this spoke is to develop innovative therapeutic solution, with the potential to be a response for those tumours that cannot be treated with conventional approaches. To this regard, the pilots dedicated to these innovations will take advantage of new developments in the drug delivery methodologies pursued by other pilots.

In particular, the main objective of the spoke is the realisation of a BNCT facility in Caserta, using technology, informatics and nuclear physics methods already available at INFN completed by the biological and clinical expertise of UNICAMP. UNICAMP will be responsible for constructing the bunker and its services while INFN will realise the high-technology part. Installation and commissioning will be a common activity.

Research teams will address the necessary steps to integrate the technology and the preclinical studies to enlarge the knowledge on the interaction of a mixed radiation field with biological tissue. To this end, a set of preclinical radiobiological evaluations will be carried out by UNICAMP using existing neutron facilities while INFN will complete and install the necessary technology to produce the neutron beam. Targets will be GBM, but also head&neck, gastrointestinal, genito-urinary and gynaecological tumours based on the natural sensitivity to the radiotherapy.